Due to all of the trade talks over the past few weeks involving the Miami Heat, it’s clear that a number one option is what they’re looking to acquire. But I believe that guy will ultimately be the second option.

Bam Adebayo is heading into his fourth season in the NBA, after an intriguing third season which caught the eye of many people around the league.

The difference between his breakout and other players, is that he did that without even reaching half of his potential.

Looking at the outstanding third season from Jayson Tatum, where he averaged 23 points a game, it’s obvious that he’s an evolving star in this league. But when you begin to evaluate him, there’s not many categories that you can say he hasn’t reached his potential.

Bam Adebayo is clearly a top defender in this league, but offensively is where all of the potential is waiting to be reached. That all begins with confidence, because once Bam actually realizes he can be a number one option for this team, that is when he will flourish.

I continue to bring up that closeout game in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, where he previewed what he’s capable of doing in this league as an offensive threat. And unfortunately, an injury in the Finals didn’t allow him to perform at the level he knows he can play at.

But now we are heading into yet another regular season, where there’s uncertainty if Miami’s roster will look the same, or if a superstar will be headlining it. But even if a James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo took their talents to South Beach, I believe Bam will still end up being the primary offensive option.

I’m not so sure it’ll be this upcoming season where he’ll be the number one option, but I do think we see an even bigger leap than what we saw in year three. This ultimately means that he will be the number one option for Miami the following year, and possibly a top 10 talent in the league.

Now, obviously this is a lot of expectations to live up to, but the only reason people say it is because he can absolutely do it.

And when I say he will breakout, it doesn’t just mean improving his points per game, which he definitely could. But what I actually mean is that he will continue to be the most impactful player on the floor, due to his offensive gravity from his passing and ball handling strengths.

A jump shot though would be pretty ideal for him to make an even bigger leap, but I’m not sure it’s as necessary as many think. Of course a consistent mid range jumper changes everything for Bam, but I think increased opportunities of attacking the basket helps him even more.

This Heat team relied heavily on three point shooting all season, which they should, but if the opposing defense has to worry about a weapon like Bam on offense, it gives their shooting a huge boost.

But once again, the specifics don’t truly matter, since it’s obvious that he will be ready to continue to expand his game by opening night.

This is Bam’s year. This is Bam’s team. This is Bam’s franchise.

It’s time to showcase that potential, but truly there is no potential limit to Bam Adebayo in this league.