Does anyone count as untouchable on the Miami Heat?

It’s hard to justify labeling a player untouchable if he is not producing at a legitimate All-NBA to MVP level. History even has moments of ballers in that stratosphere getting moved at their own wishes or by surprise. So nobody should ever get too comfortable.

The Heat find themselves at 20-17, and it could be astronomically worse, although there is a cloud of mediocrity hanging over the team. Tyler Herro has been present for 19% of their outings, and Bam Adebayo, most importantly, has regressed for a second-straight season.

Adebayo is recording his second-lowest scoring average since he became a starter, is looking lost on offense, and has reverted to an average finisher.

He has dealt with a foot injury this year and back spasms, naturally affecting his reaction time because it takes a slight adjustment for the body to get back to speed. It should give him slight cover, but what he is producing is not worth the $49 million + he’ll be getting when his contract extension kicks in next year.

Sometimes a team waits to get healthy before evaluating what they are, and it never happens. Yet there should be patience with him until the end of the season, as his value is the lowest it’s been. It’s doubtful the Heat would give up on the season with only 45 percent of it completed because they hold on to a high as much as anyone, and are convinced they can ride the waves of prosperity from earlier in the year once more.

The reality of the Miami Heat roster

Adebayo is paid like the best player on the team, and that’s been Norman Powell this season. The former has probably been second by default, yet it’s been much closer in impact to a high-level role player, which the team has a few of. Still if he returns to form, making the top spot on the team a real debate, there is only a conference finals ceiling and that’s not good enough. So nobody should be untouchable.

The execs should know that better than anyone that “a taste of honey is worse than none at all.” They can say all they want that their cute team, which is not among the three most talented in the conference, can compete with anybody, but it means next to nada when they only have two consecutive first-round exits to show for it.

Teams don’t win without a real star, unless they throw out arguably the best defense of all time, like the 2004 Detroit Pistons. Being an All-Star doesn’t inherently make one a star because there are levels to greatness. They won’t draft one of those unless they get all-time lucky, as the middle and later is where they routinely pick, and trading for one of those usually involves parting with something extra valuable. How will they get that real star to pair next to Adebayo if he is the best trade asset? Maybe moving Herro, but they’re presumably squeamish about that.

Their problem is being stuck between two timelines. Adebayo is in his prime at age 28, but some of the guys who are expected to be big-time contributors- Nikola Jović, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.- are not ready or are unproven.

Adebayo is an outstanding professional and everything the higher-ups would want as an example to younger players. He has played through injuries in the past and is routinely working out before and after games. Yet he is a very good player, not a great one. Those of his class don’t lead teams to titles, and at best, are the second option next to a real-deal offensive weapon.

One of those is not walking through the door.