4. Bam Adebayo to finish top-3 in Most Improved Player voting
Having taken over from Hassan Whiteside permanently towards the end of last season, it’s clear Adebayo shows no signs of any regression. Through the first two games against the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets, Adebayo has averaged 11.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in just 19.4 minutes per game.
Whereas Whiteside was able to control things down low and in the paint with his ability to crash the boards and alter shots, Adebayo simply provides a whole new element to the Heat defense. The ability to cover virtually every spot on the floor at 6’10” means the Heat are given an incredible amount of flexibility at the defensive end of the floor.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1181721908594839553?s=20
It’s the versatility Adebayo provides offensively, however, that far and away sets him apart from Whiteside. Whereas his predecessor has a career 0.6 assists per game average, Adebayo averaged 2.2 dimes last season in 23.3 minutes per game, including 3.1 assists per game in 28 games in the starting lineup.
With his ability to handle the ball and face the basket, the spacing and overall ball movement provided with Adebayo on the floor is almost the antithesis of what Whiteside has to offer.
So given his time thus far adjusting to a starting role, and the impressive way he has performed to date with added responsibility, expect Adebayo to feature heavily when the Most Improved Player Award voting comes around at the end of the season.