Live blog: Butler, Bam, Herro, Lowry, others speak on Miami Heat media day

With training camp beginning Tuesday in the Bahamas, some news and notes from Monday’s Miami Heat media day at FTX Arena, which was conducted without Erik Spoelstra, who is awaiting the birth of his third child:

(Please check back throughout the day for updates; we will update this frequently.)

▪ With PJ Tucker gone to Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler was asked about possibly moving from small forward to power forward.

“I don’t play the four,” he said, smiling. “I could play the four if they absolutely need me to play the four. If they absolutely wanted to have a conversation about playing the four [I would]. But I’m not going to play the four.”

▪ On the roster remaining largely in tact except for the loss of PJ Tucker: “PJ is a traitor,” he cracked.

“I love everybody I‘ve gotten the opportunity to play with. We’re back at square one. I’m excited. All the guys are excited. We’ll find a way to get done what we want to get done.”

▪ Butler expects some changes, though: “There are going to be changes. Everybody realizes roles are going to change. There are going to be a lot of changes that have nothing to do with me. As training camp comes along, it’s going to be exciting to see what this lineup is about.”

▪ Where will improvement come from? “Our confidence. We realize we belong. We don’t pay attention to the outside noise.”

▪ Butler said he always works on shooting threes, and that continued this offseason. “Scout me however you want; I’m still going to find a way to get into the paint.”

▪ Butler on Udonis Haslem: “What he brings is real, real leadership and what it is to really be Miami. He loves Miami through and through and wants the greatest for Miami. He knows what it takes to win. He’s been a champion. Glad to have the guy back.”

▪ Butler, on Bam Adebayo potentially looking to score more: “I don’t think we have to get on Bam. He knows that. We know. He knows. We want him to score more. We want him to be aggressive and he’s going to. He was and always will be the engine. We will go where he takes us.”

▪ What would winning a championship mean to Butler? “Everything. That’s why I play the game - to win a championship and gain everyone’s respect on the court.”

He said Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra “they do a great job of getting guys on the team like that, to sacrifice for one another.”

▪ Bam Adebayo, on not having Tucker and playing a small lineup again: “We’ve done it before multiple years. We always find a way. That’s the Miami Heat way. No excuses. PJ is not with us any more; you have to learn how to adapt to that.”

▪ Bam on Caleb Martin: “He’s an athletic wing. Playing on the wing is a matchup problem. He’s going to help us a lot. He’s been in the gym countless hours working on his shot.”

▪ Asked if he expects to shoot more, Adebayo said: “Yeah.”

Does he gave a goal of shots per game? “Close to 18 shots. Try to get it up this year. We are a lot better team when I’m scoring.”

Adebayo averaged 13 shots per game last season. Pat Riley said he wants Adebayo averaging at least 15 shots per game.

What’s the most important thing to get to 18 shots per game? “See orange.”

How does the offense need to change to accommodate that? “That’s a Spo answer. You heard what the old man [Pat Riley] said to me.”

▪ On winning Defensive Player of the Year: “At this point, it’s politics.”

▪ Adebayo said “it’s a big deal to come back better, be more consistent, be a better player.”

▪ Tyler Herro, who can sign a contract extension until Oct. 18, said “I’m just focused on the season and basketball. I’m going to let my agent take care of that.”

▪ Herro, on whether he still wants to be a starter, something he expressed after the season: “I’m a team player, whatever Spo and the organization wants me to do [is OK]. I have my personal goals, but the team is always over [that].”

“The ball will be in my hands to be a little bit less” if he starts.

▪ Herro said his objective this summer was “being more efficient, getting stronger, getting better on the defensive end. That’s something we continue to work on. My offensive skill set is one of the best in the league; to build on that and be more efficient and get to my spots” is the goal.

▪ One goal is to be an All Star: “I thought I should have been one last year.”

▪ Max Strus said “Obviously I want to be starting again. That’s my goal.”

He said he’s open to playing power forward if asked. But he also lost eight pounds.

He’s recognized more often now: “You don’t start in the Eastern Finals and be considered a bad basketball player.”

▪ Caleb Martin said “I would love to start” at power forward but “as long as I’m playing and can be productive, that’s fine.”

▪ Martin said the fact the Heat bypassed signing several veteran power forwards “says a lot to me. I’m flattered. I accept the challenge.”

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