Bam Adebayo’s MRI results confirm a toe injury that will keep him out for at least 1 game

Miami Heat fans feared the worst when Bam Adebayo limped off the field because of a toe injury against the Denver Nuggets in Wednesday’s 122-112 loss that required an MRI the next morning. Adebayo’s foot landed awkwardly while trying to get through a screen by Nuggets forward Cam Johnson.

The Heat announced Adebayo suffered a sprained toe and will miss Miami’s next game, the team announced on its X, formerly Twitter.

“An MRI revealed that Bam Adebayo has a sprained left toe. He has been ruled out of tomorrow’s game against Charlotte,” the Heat reported.

Adebayo left the game with two points and one rebound in eight minutes of the first quarter. The Heat fell to 4-4 on the season. Without Adebayo, Miami will try to get back into 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’s rookie who started 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

Thermal center Bam Adebayo has high hopes for Kel’el Warewho 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 shaken Adebayo’s confidence in his backup seven-footer.

Based on Ware’s rookie campaign, Adebayo knows the 21-year-old is improving, and isn’t discouraged by the regular season sample size of eight gamesuntil now, he said, according to Anthony Chang of the Miami Herald.

“We will not give up on him,” Adebayo said. “We know how great he can be. He moves the needle for this team.”

Adebayo admitted that he was a mentor to Vero during their first two seasons together.

“I go to him as a brother. I don’t go to him as a captain, I’m a mentor,” Adebayo said. “So it’s growing pains when it comes to this NBA thing. You get on and you blink, and that’s, for me, about nine years. And you’re going to have some growing pains along the way. It’s just, how do you grow from those lessons? This is a lesson for him.”

Ware will undoubtedly take on a bigger role for the Heat against the Hornets on Friday.