Miami Heat fans feared the worst when Bam Adebayo was limping off the court due to a toe injury against the Denver Nuggets in Wednesday’s 122-112 loss, which required an MRI the following morning. Adebayo’s foot landed awkwardly while trying to go through a screen from Nuggets forward Cam Johnson.
The Heat announced Adebayo suffered a sprained toe and will miss Miami’s next game, the team reported on its X, formerly Twitter.
“An MRI has revealed that Bam Adebayo has a left big toe sprain. He has been ruled out of tomorrow night’s game vs. Charlotte,” the Heat reported.
Adebayo left the game with two points and one rebound in eight first-quarter minutes. The Heat fell to 4-4 on the season. Without Adebayo, Miami will look to return to the winning column against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. Adebayo is averaging 19.9 points on 45.2% shooting, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game this season.
The void should provide new opportunities for backup center Kel’el Ware, the Heat rookie who started in 36 games last season. Ware is averaging 10.1 points on 54.5% shooting, including 41.7% from deep, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game this season.
Why Bam Adebayo believes in Heat’s Kel’el Ware
Heat center Bam Adebayo has high hopes for Kel’el Ware, who was selected 15th overall in last year’s draft. The dynamic second-year center has a bright future ahead of him, which is why Ware’s inconsistent start to the 2025-26 campaign hasn’t wavered Adebayo’s confidence in his backup seven-footer.
Based on Ware’s rookie campaign, Adebayo knows the 21-year-old prospect is going places, and isn’t discouraged by the regular season’s eight-game sample size, thus far, he said, per The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.
“We’re not going to give up on him,” Adebayo said. “We know how great he can be. He moves the needle for this team.”
Adebayo has admitted to being a mentor to Ware during their first two seasons together.
“I’m going to him as a brother. I’m not going to him as no captain, I’m a mentor,” Adebayo said. “So it’s growing pains when it comes to this NBA thing. You get involved and you blink, and it’s, for me, like nine years in. And you’re going to have some growing pains along the way. It’s just, how are you going to grow from those lessons? This is a lesson for him.”
Ware will undoubtedly take on an increased role for the Heat in Friday’s matchup against the Hornets.
