SAN ANTONIO — The Miami Heat have been here before, players asked to do other than what they believe they do best, all in the name of the greater good.

Two seasons ago, it was Tyler Herro told to back off the midrange shots, instead attempt to score only at the rim or the 3-point line.

Herro initially scoffed, muttering about being reduced to spot-up shooter. A year later, he came around with an All-Star berth.

Last season, it was Jimmy Butler asked to defer more to Herro, play as a component rather than as focus. No, that did not go well. Butler currently can be found with the Golden State Warriors.

This time it has been center Bam Adebayo, master of the dribble handoff, fulcrum of the pick-and-roll game, who has been asked to back off his proven modes of attack.

Without a peep from the Heat captain.

Because what had worked best for him increasingly was not providing the needed payoff in the Heat’s scoring column.

“I mean, the last two years have been a struggle for us, trying to figure out how we can get this offense going,” Adebayo said, with the Heat opening a four-game western swing Thursday night against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. “So I was open to a new offense at that point.

“But that’s the great part of being versatile, being able to fit any offensive scheme and being able to impact it and being able to be effective.”

So, to a degree, stepping aside so the ball can move, less two-man game, more of everyone eating.

“I mean the game’s evolving,” Adebayo said, “so being able to evolve with the game, understand everybody’s trying to score more points, everybody’s trying to play fast. To be a part of a team with this much pace and this much speed, where we get that ball in transition, this is probably my first year where we’ve been like emphasizing playing this fast.

“And we’re playing the right way. That’s what I love about it. We’re sharing the game. And everybody feels involved.”

Adebayo is making sure of that, imploring during huddles that the pace be maintained, even if it personally might mean fewer touches.

“I mean, forget about the offense,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s just his overall leadership. You could look at every time there’s a break in the action. He’s bringing everybody together. That’s leadership. That’s connection. That’s somebody who really wants to help this group get better and ultimately win.

“He understands his responsibility. He’s really growing into it organically. It’s really a beauty to watch. Guys turn to him now. It’s his ninth year and it goes by fast. And they see him as a seasoned veteran.”

Because while Adebayo hasn’t done it over his nine seasons at anything close to this pace, he has won on a high enough level to engender respect after two trips to the NBA Finals and other deep playoff runs.

“I’ve said before, but a lot of the young guys have seen him making an impact in all these games in June. So he has deep respect of the locker room,” Spoelstra said. “And he’s doing it in a way where he’s not like up above them telling them what to do. He’s right there with them in the trenches.”

Playing for the greater good.

“We’re all bought into the system,” Adebayo said, with the Heat’s trip continuing Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers, Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers before concluding next week against the Denver Nuggets. “You see it. You don’t know who is going to shoot the ball or who is going to catch-and-go. That’s how we like it, that’s how we want to play.”

So no pick. No roll. No handoffs. Just the passing game.

“We want all five guys to be involved,” said Adebayo, who with his 19th point in Tuesday night’s blowout victory of the Charlotte Hornets became the fourth player to score at least 9.000 points with the Heat, joining Dwyane Wade (21,556), Alonzo Mourning (9,459) and Glen Rice (9,248).