Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hyde: Heat win — and woo Giannis?
Power forward shares agent with Bucks’ superstar
MIAMI — There are few roles Bam Adebayo hasn’t handled for the Miami Heat this season, being first in rebounding, tied for second in assists and third in scoring.
But there is one that the emerging center wanted to clarify in advance of Monday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at AmericanAirlines Arena:
He is not actively working behind the scenes to help recruit Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat in 2021 NBA free agency.
Even though they share the same agent.
Even after considerable bonding time with the Bucks versatile big man at last month’s All-Star Game.
“At the end of the day, I can’t force a man to make that decision,” Adebayo said by his locker. “That’s going to be his decision, his family’s decision. I can’t persuade him to do that.”
And, yet, he also appreciates the appearances, with agent Alex Saratsis with both Antetokounmpo and Adebayo at the top of his client list.
“I wanted a specific agent that fits me, and it just so happened to be Giannis’ agent,” Adebayo said of his decision coming out of Kentucky in 2017.
That was then, before Antetokounmpo’s potential 2021 leaguealtering free agency came into focus, before Adebayo emerged as an All-Star.
Now, speculation about An
tetokounmpo’s future is hard to ignore, particularly with the Bucks in position to preempt such free agency with a 250 million-plus supermax extension this summer.
“I’m pretty sure people are going to run with that this summer and next summer,” Adebayo said of the common agent denominator. “In 2021, people are going to run with that.
“But, at the end of the day, he takes care of me like he takes care of Giannis. And that’s just what you need in an agent. You want a guy that actually cares about everybody and not just some people who are doing better than others.”
In other words, Adebayo doesn’t look at Saratsis or Octagon as Antetokounmpo’s agent and agency, but as his agent and agency.
“He treats me just like I’m part of the family,” he said, “and that’s why I picked him.”
There was, in fact, no talk about agents, agencies or even future plans during the time with Antetokounmpo in Chicago.
“We spoke a lot during All-Star Weekend,” Adebayo said. “We were around each other. We were on the same team. I got to speak with him a little bit. But it wasn’t because we got the same agent. It was nothing about basketball. It was about life.”