Miami Heat captain Bam Adebayo reportedly engaged in a physical altercation with former teammate Tyler Herro. The incident, which allegedly involved Adebayo striking Herro, occurred at a practice court in Las Vegas on Friday, July 10. Las Vegas is currently hosting the NBA Summer League showcase.
According to reports, Adebayo approached Herro regarding a critical social media post Herro had recently made. The alleged strike by Adebayo was near Herro’s face. A spokesperson for the Heat acknowledged awareness of the matter but declined further comment. Herro, when questioned later on Friday, stated, “My only comment is no comment.”
Background to the Altercation
Herro was part of a trade package on June 23 that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat. In that deal, Miami also acquired Bobby Portis, while Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakučionis, along with three first-round picks, a second-round selection, and a pick swap, were sent to the Milwaukee Bucks. Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins also declined to comment on the altercation when asked by a radio program, stating he did not know all the specifics.
Adebayo and Herro were teammates for all seven of Herro’s seasons in the NBA, all of which were with Miami. Both players also spent one season playing college basketball at Kentucky, though their tenures in Lexington did not overlap. It is common for current players to gather in Las Vegas during Summer League to support rookies and young players and to conduct additional workouts.
A few days after the trade between Miami and Milwaukee was finalized, screenshots of direct messages between a fan and Herro were leaked. These messages showed Herro discussing the dynamics within the Heat. While Herro did not explicitly name Adebayo, the posts suggested pointed criticism. In one message, Herro wrote, “You should get paid 60 million to be a top tier defender on some night? I’m just wondering, since we talking.” Adebayo’s current contract has an average salary of $53.4 million, making him Miami’s highest-paid player.
Following the revelation of these screenshots, Herro also posted an image to his Instagram story. This image displayed players with the lowest field goal percentage on midrange attempts during the past season. Antetokounmpo topped this list with a 26.8% mark, while Adebayo ranked tenth at 35.9%.
Prior Interactions and Team Dynamics
Earlier on Friday, Herro was interviewed during a broadcast and spoke about his relationship with the Heat. He stated, “It’s all love. It’s all love in Miami. I’ve seen a couple of the guys and coaching staff, (assistant) Chris Quinn, (head coach Erik Spoelstra), front office guys — we’re all good in Miami. This is an opportunity for both sides to reset, get a fresh star and we’re both super happy for this.” It remains unclear whether this interview took place before or after the reported altercation.
Adebayo and Herro had maintained a cordial relationship during their time as teammates in Miami. In a past recorded discussion, Herro had asked Adebayo which Heat player would always support him in a fight. Adebayo responded, “I mean I would hope all of y’all, considering I got all y’all back. One person? Man, I’mma say T, just cause we got the longest relationship.” Herro’s reply was, “Yeah, I’m coming.”
Agents representing both Adebayo and Herro did not respond to requests for comment. Spokespersons for the Bucks also did not return requests for comment. The Heat and Bucks competed against each other in Summer League play on Friday, with Miami winning 119-86.
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Source: bleacherreport.com
