Adebayo: Offseason operations help the Heat return to the championship ranks

Heat star Adebayo said in an interview that the team's offseason operations will bring the Heat back to the championship ranks.

Last month, the Heat received a dynamic scorer Powell from the Clippers through a tripartite trade. Powell, who ranked in the top four in the Sixth Man selection for two consecutive seasons, entered Los Angeles' starting lineup last season, averaging a career-high 21.8 points per game. He is one of the only six players in the league who averaged 21+ points per game, shot over 48% from the field and shot over 40% from three-pointers.

Adebayo said: "It's a good adjustment for our team, and now the team has a different energy."

"I think Powell is the kind of underrated player, but like you see this year, he does show all-star strength. You've witnessed his achievements and seen him grow in the league. Obviously, he wants to meet the next challenge. And it's obvious that this challenge is to join the Heat. So I'm so happy to have him."

Heat also successfully renewed Mitchell, who traded from the Raptors in February. After joining the Heat, Mitchell averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 30 games, shooting 50.4% from the field and 44.7% from three-point shooting. Mitchell's aggressive defense also played a key role, and when he was on the court, the Heat lost 3.4 points per 100 possessions.

Adebayo said: "It's obvious that we've always been missing a player who can really play well with the ball defense. Mitchell's arrival fills the role, and he's very clear about his position. I'm looking forward to him playing all of this season here, looking forward to us all getting together, getting to know each other and making the team a more brotherly group. We were a little disconnected before, and we've been fumbled into everyone's role and style. But now we'll have a great training camp and then start again from there."

Adebayo also talked about teammates lost during the team's roster adjustment. In addition to Love and Lee Kyle, Miami also sent Duncan Robinson to the Pistons by signing first and then changing, and exchanged them for Fontekio.

"Obviously, I'll miss them. After all, Dunro has been here for eight years, and the connection between us is special. And Love is a champion-level leader who can encourage young people, set an example, and bridge the coach and the players. So like I said, I'll miss them both. Thankfully we've had time to fight side by side, which obviously helped me grow up, both as a player and as a captain."