Miami Heat and Bam Adebayo working on max extension this offseason. A look at what it means.

Adebayo was one of only seven NBA players who averaged at least 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game this regular season, along with Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings.

In addition, Adebayo was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for the first time in his career this past season after being selected for the All-Defensive Second Team in each of the previous four seasons. Adebayo is the only player in franchise history to make one of the league’s All-Defensive teams in five different seasons while with the Heat.

Adebayo just finished his first season as the Heat’s captain. He’s only played for the Heat since being drafted by Miami with the 14th overall pick in 2017.

The Heat also has a decision to make regarding an extension for Adebayo’s Heat co-star Jimmy Butler, who is eligible to sign a maximum two-year contract extension worth about $113 million starting on July 7. The window for the Heat to sign Butler to the two-year max extension closes next year on June 30, 2025.

Butler, who turns 35 on Sept. 14, entered this offseason hoping for that max extension prior to the start of the upcoming season. But with Butler under contract with the Heat on a $48.8 million salary for next season, he could instead play out the upcoming season with Miami and then decline a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season to seek a max contract in free agency next year if there’s no extension from the Heat this offseason.

The Heat holds the No. 15 overall pick in the first round and No. 43 overall pick in the second round of this week’s NBA Draft. The first round is Wednesday and the second round is Thursday.

NBA teams were allowed to begin negotiating with their own impending free agents and most extension-eligible players like Adebayo with the Heat on June 18 after the NBA Finals ended. But free agents can begin negotiating with teams around the league starting on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, with most free-agents signing and extensions like Adebayo’s not able to become official until July 6.

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