The Miami Heat and six-time All-Star guard Jimmy Butler are in the midst of a standoff that resulted in him being punished with a seven-game suspension from a franchise that has historically had no interest in the spotlight stand, unless it was about winning. While the suspension ends Thursday, the trade request for an unmoved Butler remains.

Meanwhile, Heat center Bam Adebayo has embraced his team with long arms, hoping to stay focused on winning games.

“Everyone needs someone to look to,” Adebayo recently told Andscape. “You need that voice, that one voice, when we get into the trenches and it gets dark. People lose orientation. They need someone to act as an enforcer and understand that we can still win. We still have enough.

“We cannot allow this season to go badly for the young people. I look at them because young people are trying to find a job. The guys are trying to be something in this league and it’s like you can’t let the outside noise distract from that. But for me it’s really about getting everyone on the same page and understanding that we can still win.”

Butler averaged 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in six seasons with the Heat while making three All-Star appearances and leading the franchise to two NBA Finals. The Heat suspended Butler on Jan. 3 for “multiple incidents of conduct that had a detrimental impact on the team.” He will forfeit $2.3 million during the suspension, which is expected to keep him out until Jan. 17 against the Denver Nuggets. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler told Heat president Pat Riley that he still wanted to be traded, had no plans to sign a contract extension with the franchise and that he was exercising his $52 million player option next season could be used as an exchange maneuver. The Heat had previously said in a statement that they were open to trading Butler, but nothing appears to be imminent as the February 6 trade deadline approaches.

In the middle is Adebayo, the longest-tenured Heat player for eight seasons. Adebayo, a close friend of Butler, aspires to become a Heat lifer.

“You understand that at the end of the day it’s his business and I’ll leave it at that,” Adebayo said. “JB (Butler) is one of my guys. So for me, we give him space and let him and management get into it. We worry about these wins because at the end of the day, whatever happens with him and management, someone still has to play these games.

“You still have to go out and win. This is the best thing for us to get out of this situation. Go out here and get some wins.”

The Heat enter Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a record of 20-18. Miami is also 3-3 since Butler’s suspension. Adebayo sat out Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers because of back pain caused by a fall against the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 11.

With Butler sidelined, Heat guard Tyler Herro praised Adebayo for showing “a lot of leadership.”

“We all lean on him. He continued to carry us as a leader in the locker room and as a voice,” Herro said. “He has always been that for us. In the last few weeks he has really made progress in this regard. And he just leads the field on both ends, is the anchor on defense and sticks with everything he does offensively.”

The Heat selected Adebayo 14th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky. Adebayo averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game during his NBA career. The 6-foot, 255-pound player is also one of the league’s best defenders – he was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team five times – and is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with USA Basketball.

While Adebayo’s leadership is now recognized, he also admitted that he wished he was more respected by the media and fans. Adebayo’s play is not regularly featured in highlights or on social media. He ranks third on the Heat in points per game behind Butler and Herro, and in the most recent NBA All-Star voting, Adebayo was not ranked among the top 10 frontcourt players in the NBA Eastern Conference.

“I get respect from my colleagues,” Adebayo said. “For me that is the most important thing when you have respect for your fellow human beings. The guys that are in the same league as you, when they mention your name, it’s positive or something like, “No, he’s this, he’s that.” And that’s what I find pleasing. I can’t control the media.”

Eastern Conference coaches will decide whether Adebayo will be named an All-Star again as a reserve. The starters for the NBA All-Star Game will be announced on January 23rd and the reserves, selected by the coaches in their respective conferences, will be announced on January 30th.

Whether it’s his coach or others in the NBA, Adebayo commands a lot of respect. The Heat had three leaders in Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem who set the business tone for the franchise. Now, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra sees Adebayo as the franchise’s current “torchbearer.”

“It goes without saying what he means to the franchise, what he means to the city,” Spoelstra said. “You know he’s the next steward and torchbearer of our organization, and that’s because he’s about the right things…It’s about winning. He will sacrifice, he will do the dirty work. I think he was probably one of everyone’s favorite teammates this summer (in Paris) because he handled all the challenges defensively, facilitated things and got everyone involved. He played a great role; That’s why he won two gold medals and was in the final twice.”

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr coached Adebayo with USA Basketball during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kerr told his coaching staff before the Warriors’ 114-98 loss to the Heat on Jan. 7 that “everyone should be lucky enough to coach Bam.”

“This guy is just great,” Kerr said. “His work ethic, his intelligence, his energy and ultimately his commitment to the team and the cause. He is so professional and just fun to coach.”

“I have always loved basketball. It has taken me to so many places. As you can see, it changed my family life. It’s just changed my life and I’m blessed.”

– Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo

Perhaps part of the joy of coaching Adebayo is his love and appreciation for the game of basketball. He says basketball steered his life in the right direction, helped improve the lives of his family members and allowed him to visit the world. After being mentored by the likes of Wade and Haslem, Adebayo feels it is his responsibility to mentor the young Heat players who now respectfully call him “OG.”

“I’m almost 10 years old now, man,” said 27-year-old Adebayo. “It is your responsibility to help these young people bank equity and understand what they want to achieve. For me, it gives you a lot of joy when you help the freshmen or one- or two-year players and they look up to you. It’s crazy that they call me “OG”…

“But basketball got me out of a lot of tough situations. I’m just one of those kids who didn’t have much, had no opportunity, and didn’t know where their life would lead if that orange basketball changed my life for the better. Well, I’ve always loved basketball. It has taken me to so many places. As you can see, it changed my family life. It’s just changed my life and I’m blessed.”

Spoelstra, who served as an assistant coach for USA Basketball in Paris, said: “I appreciate the relationship I was able to build with Bam, from the beginning as a 19-year-old to today.” With all these successes – and this summer was likely the best – I was able to build a different relationship with him, much less stressful. The pressure was on, but there was no relationship between head coach and player. It wasn’t an assistant coach (relationship), but more of a friendly relationship. It was so much fun and I will cherish the rest of my career.”

Adebayo loves Miami, from the franchise to the people to the city. He admitted that he could see himself wearing just one NBA jersey for his entire career. He also dreams that his No. 13 jersey will one day be retired by the Heat.

As for the statue outside the arena like Wade, Adebayo says he needs to win an NBA title or two for Miami like the Basketball Hall of Famer.

“I think about this city, man, how much love they gave me,” Adebayo said. “But what also comes to mind is when I see my name just overtake someone in third place, just overtake someone in fourth place, you start to creep up and my goal was to get in want to be in the top three, top two or even top one in Heat history in all categories. In order for me to do that, I have to be here long enough. I’ve been here for eight years and look forward to continuing to be here.

“Do I deserve a statue? That’s what you dream about. Of course, that’s part of championships and all the other good things. But I dream of seeing my jersey in the rafters.”