Critical details of Adebayo extension revealed

The Miami Heat officially announced the Bam Adebayo extension yesterday. And we have now learned some key details regarding the contract.

Adebayo’s five-year, $163 million extension will kick in for the 2021-22 season. As it stands, it is currently slated to pay Adebayo 25 percent of the NBA salary cap.

He can now only reach the full supermax of 30 percent of the cap — which would increase the contract to $195 million — if he wins MVP for the 2020-21 season. If he makes First-Team All-NBA, Adebayo’s contract would increase to 28.5 percent of the cap, or $186 million. And if he wins Defensive Player of the Year, it would increase to 27.5 percent of the cap, or $179 million.

These details have enormous implications for the Heat’s flexibility during the 2021 off-season. Luka Doncic is already the favorite to win the 2020-21 MVP. Adebayo won’t even enter the conversation unless Jimmy Butler sustains a serious injury and the Heat remain competitive. Adebayo received 26 All-NBA Third-Team votes last year, but failed to make the cut. It’s difficult to envision him making All-NBA First-Team next year, competing against Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.

Defensive Player of the Year would be the accolade Adebayo has the best chance of winning next year, but he’d still compete against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Davis. He finished fifth in the award last year and made the All-NBA Defensive Second Team.

If Adebayo fails to win any of those awards, the Heat could have up to $30 million in cap space next summer. Of course, Miami would need to decline the 2021-22 team options for Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, Meyers Leonard and Avery Bradley.

And though it falls short of the cap space needed to sign Anteotokounmpo, the two-time MVP could sign a one-year contract with a player option for a second year with the Miami Heat. Such a move would allow the Heat to sign him without executing a sign-and-trade that could involve giving up Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.