Kendrick Perkins Calls Out Bam Adebayo After Heat's Opening Loss

The Miami Heat got off to a rough start after losing their home opener 131-106 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the criticism didn't take long to roll in.

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins had some strong words for Bam Adebayo following Miami's season-opening loss, questioning whether the Heat's All-Star big man can take the next step offensively now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is in town.

"First round exit in the Eastern Conference. Giannis is a generational talent. We know what he’s going to bring to the table but when is Bam going to take the leap from being an All Star caliber player, to all NBA caliber player? Averaging 18-20 PPG, that’s not going to cut it. You got to average 25! It’s time for Bam to elevate his game."

I actually understand some of what Perkins is saying here, because I've been wanting to see Bam become a more aggressive offensive player for years. Some nights, you watch him and wonder why he isn't looking for his own shot more often, especially when he has a favorable matchup. When Giannis rests, Bam has to be aggressive; they don’t have enough scoring to rest on their laurels.

What I didn’t agree with was Perk saying the Heat are a first-round exit after one game, and suggesting Bam needs to average 25 points for this team to succeed.

Bam Doesn't Need to Average 25 Points for Miami to Win

Let's be realistic about what Miami needs from Adebayo this season.

The Heat just acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the most dominant offensive players in the NBA, and the entire point of bringing him to Miami was to give this team a legitimate superstar who can carry the offense when needed.

That doesn't mean Bam should take a backseat offensively, because I still want him attacking the basket, being aggressive and taking advantage of teams that put so much attention on Giannis.

Bam is arguably the most versatile defensive big man in basketball, and his ability to guard multiple positions is a huge reason Miami has built its defensive identity around him for years. He's also one of the league's better passing bigs, which should open up interesting opportunities for Giannis cutting toward the basket.

If Bam is giving Miami 18 to 22 points a night, playing elite defense and making the right decisions offensively, I have a hard time believing that's somehow not enough.

The Starting Lineup Was Miami's Biggest Problem

What stood out to me more than anything against Minnesota wasn't necessarily Bam's individual performance, but how poorly Miami's starting unit played together.

In the 16 minutes Giannis and Bam shared the floor, the Heat posted a 102 offensive rating and a 132 defensive rating, giving them a minus-30 net rating.

That's pretty terrible when you consider the amount of defensive talent Miami has in its frontcourt, and it certainly wasn't what Heat fans expected to see from two players who should eventually form one of the most intimidating defensive combinations in basketball.

The numbers were even worse for Bam and Davion Mitchell, who finished with a minus-40 net rating.

Of course, we're talking about one game and a very limited number of possessions, so I'm not going to pretend those numbers tell us everything about this team. But they do show that Miami's starters struggled on both ends of the floor, particularly defensively, which is surprising considering the personnel.

When you have Giannis, Bam, Mitchell, and Andrew Wiggins, defense should be the least of your worries, at least on paper.

That's what makes the opening performance frustrating: we know how good these guys are individually, but right now they're still learning to play together.

Spoelstra Has Some Things to Figure Out

One thing I've talked about since Miami acquired Giannis is how excited I am to see what Erik Spoelstra can do with this roster, especially when it comes to using Giannis and Bam together.

I still believe this pairing can be special, and I don't think one bad game changes that.

I'd love to see more inverted pick-and-roll actions with Bam handling the ball and Giannis rolling toward the rim, because both players are capable passers and Spoelstra can use their size and athleticism in so many ways to create mismatches.

Perkins Is Right About One Thing

As much as I disagree with Perkins about Bam needing to average 25 points, I do think there's a fair criticism buried in what he said.

At some point, Bam has to become a more consistent offensive threat, particularly in the moments when Miami needs someone other than Giannis to create a basket.

We've seen him have big scoring performances before, so we know the ability is there, but I'd like to see that aggressive mindset more consistently instead of watching him settle for difficult jumpers when he has an opportunity to attack.

That's the leap I'm looking for from Bam this season, and it doesn't necessarily have to show up as a massive increase in his scoring average.

The Heat need him to be decisive, confident, and willing to take over stretches of games when the opportunity presents itself.