Miami Heat Injury Report (Dec 20): Latest update on Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo's availability

Bam Adebayo is expected to play when the Miami Heat visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, December 20. Tyler Herro should also be part of the rotation after recovering from injury. However, Erik Spoelstra's team will be missing their star player, as Jimmy Butler has been ruled out with knee tendinitis.

Kevin Love is questionable heading into the contest, and Dru Smith remains out due to injury. Nevertheless, it's Butler who will be sorely missed. Yes, Adebyao and Herro returning to the rotation provides a significant boost in defense and on-ball creation. But Butler's absence significantly lowers Miami's overall offensive firepower.

As such, Kyle Lowry, Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and Herro will all need to step up and shoulder a little bit more of the Heat's offensive workload. Lowry will likely take Butler's place in running dribble hand-off actions with Abdeayo on the wings and on the elbows.

Herro and Lowry will need to drop their shoulders and attack the rim with additional frequency. Robinson will need to find the level of movement shooting that once made him one of the most feared perimeter threats in the NBA.

Furthermore, Miami will need to find ways of slowing down Paolo Banchero. The sophomore forward is already emerging as a rising talent in the NBA and can be a difficult matchup for any team in the league. Without Butler's physicality, the task of limiting Banchero will likely fall on Adebayo.

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Bam Adebayo has been enjoying a strong start to the season

In 17 games this season, Bam Adebayo is averaging 22.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, shooting 51.6% from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point range. The veteran big man is also playing some stellar defense and has been integral to the Miami Heat's overall system.

Adebayo made his second All-Star appearance last season. If he continues to produce at his current level and can avoid any further injury-induced absences, there's a reasonable chance he will add a third selection to his career resume in the coming months.

Miami runs a lot of their offense through Adebayo. His foot speed and hip dexterity make him a dynamic threat on both sides of the floor, and his skill set meshes well with the Heat's roster, specifically Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler, who both thrive in the space he can create.

With the veteran big man back in the rotation, Miami will be a far more competitive roster. However, they will need Butler back in their rotation if they want to remind everyone why they made the NBA Finals last season.