Heat's Bam Adebayo: Ramping up, could return next week

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday that Adebayo is making good progress in his recovery from Dec. 7 surgery to address a torn UCL in his right thumb, Shandel Richardson of SI.com reports. "We're just happy that he's been able to basically work since three days after the surgery," Spoelstra said. "He's basically been doing everything conditioning, getting up and down the court. From that standpoint, he's been very involved. When you see him working, it's hard not to just get encouraged and also inspired."

Spoelstra didn't offer up a potential target date for Adebayo's return, but the center was projected to miss 4-to-6 weeks at the time of his surgery. He'll approach the longer end of that timeline next week, so Adebayo could be ready to go within the Heat's next handful of games if he gains clearance from doctors. Dewayne Dedmon (knee) and Omer Yurtseven have held down the fort at center while Adebayo has been out of the lineup.