MIAMI — The Miami Heat and All-Star center Bam Adebayo have agreed on a maximum rookie-scale extension, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed through an NBA executive. The five-year agreement kicks in for the 2021-22 season, worth potentially close to $200 million.
The Heat had a Dec. 21 deadline to finalize such an agreement, the day before the scheduled start of the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season, with the agreement instead reached Tuesday.Adebayo likely stood as the last remaining player in line for a maximum extension this offseason. Already having received and accepted such extensions were Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum
Adebayo’s extension is for a $163 million contract, but one that could reach as high as $195.6 million if Adebayo is named to a 2021 All-NBA team or is named Defensive Player of the Year or Most Valuable Player.
Adebayo’s extension is five years, without a team or player option, a party with direct access to the contract said.
Whether the Heat would extend such an offer had been in question, with each of the team’s offseason signings to this point focused on maximizing salary-cap space for the 2021 offseason, when Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Victor Oladipo, Kyle Lowry and LeBron James, among others, could become free agents.
The Heat, however, still plan to move forward, at least at the moment, with intentions of maximizing 2021-22 salary cap space.
Heat president Pat Riley made clear last month that satisfying Adebayo would be a priority, but was less clear on the timing.
“We value Bam Adebayo. He’s an All-Star. And he’s young. And he’s great. And we’re going to do what is in his best interest,” he said. “That is what I think we have to do. And that is our approach. We love Bam. He’s a cornerstone to our franchise and it would be in our best interest to make sure we do the right thing with him.”
