Pierce said that Adebayo is probably the most versatile defender in the NBA, and Garnett said that the 27-year-old will be the reason Miami takes “that crazy jump.”

Expectations are high for Adebayo going into the new season, especially now that he has seemingly added a 3-point shot to his game. Miami’s Erik Spoelstra recently suggested that Adebayo will take as many as seven 3-pointers in some games this season.

On top of Adebayo’s 3-point shot, his defensive dominance and offensive skill set will remain part of his arsenal moving forward, so he may be on the verge of becoming the most complete player he’s been since he came into the NBA.

Last season, Adebayo averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He shot 52.1 percent from the field and teased his 3-point capabilities a little bit by knocking down 35.7 of his shots from deep, but he attempted less than one per game. It seems like that’s going to change this season.

Also last season, Adebayo was named to the All-Defensive First Team and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He will likely remain in contention for those honors for years to come.

Garnett may be right in suggesting that Adebayo could ignite a major step forward for the Heat as a franchise.

Miami has reached (but lost in) the NBA Finals twice since the start of the 2019-20 season. While many have called for the Heat to add another star in order to get over the hump, perhaps a leap from Adebayo is the thing Miami truly needs.

The Heat will open their 2024-25 regular season in just a few days, as a matchup against the Orlando Magic awaits on Oct. 23. That will give folks their first chance to see what Adebayo is going to bring to the table this season as the three-time All-Star looks to continue being one of the game’s top bigs.