Over anything else, Bam Adebayo got nothing but love on both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus amid the departure they’ve made to their South Beach camp.
In an interview with Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Adebayo echoed his respect and utmost understanding for the two as they were able to secure their very own financial moves at the expense of leaving the Miami Heat.
“At the end of the day, [Udonis Haslem] preaches it, I preach it, no matter where the money is, go take care of your family,” Adebayo said. “That’s the biggest thing. Guys get into this situation and have so many opportunities to go take care of their family. The No. 1 thing we want is for guys to do that. … For me, man, it’s bittersweet that [Vincent] is not not going to be my teammate no more. But at the end of the day, we can go on vacation together.”
In this free agency, Vincent inked a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers worth $33MM. Meanwhile, Strus earned himself a bag upon agreeing on a sign-and-trade pact with the Cleveland Cavaliers that netted him a $62.3MM contract for four years.
Both players were the product of the comprehensive development program of the Heat under the guidance of Erik Spoelstra. From being undrafted and little-known cagers, both Vincent and Strus emerged as critical contributors to the Heat’s postseason success in the previous two seasons – most especially at last season’s Cinderella Finals run.
Despite the fact that they are now set to start their new chapter with their very own teams, both Vincent and Strus still fully acknowledge the fact that Miami will always be their home.
