Former Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro were involved in a brief verbal and physical altercation at an NBA Summer League practice facility in Las Vegas on Friday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The person, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Adebayo struck Herro at least once during the encounter. Neither player nor their teams publicly disclosed details.
Trade and Tensions
Herro was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month in the deal that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat, where he will play alongside Adebayo, the Heat captain. The Heat acknowledged the incident but declined further comment. Herro briefly addressed reporters after a summer game between the Bucks and Heat, stating, “my only comment is no comment.” Herro attended the game; Adebayo was not present.
ESPN first reported details of the altercation. The AP source said one factor was Herro making critical comments about Adebayo’s three-year, $166 million extension with Miami in 2024. Herro is believed to have made those remarks in direct messages on social media, with screenshots later going public.
Trae Young Discusses Wizards Deal
Elsewhere in Las Vegas, Washington Wizards guard Trae Young addressed his $212 million, four-year contract extension. Young, a four-time All-Star, averaged 17.9 points in 15 games last season due to injuries. He said, “I don’t really care about what other people think. I just care about what the people in this organization think, my teammates think and how we’re going to get better and how we’re going to find ways to win games.” Young was traded from the Hawks midseason.
NBPA Vows to Fight Second Apron
Newly installed National Basketball Players Association executive director David Kelly criticized the second apron, saying the union will fight it in the next collective bargaining agreement. “We are not fans of the second apron. We did not propose the second apron. We should have done a better job of fighting back against the second apron, and in the future, we will have a much more unified union, and we will do a better job of fighting it back,” Kelly said.
Kelly responded to comments from NBA veteran Kyle Kuzma, who called the aprons a hard cap on player value and movement. Kelly said, “You don’t ever go into any sort of a competition trying to score as many points as your opponent. We do not need anyone who is equal to the NBA. The NBA is not the standard. We need people who will fight for us and force the NBA to raise their game to our standard.” The current CBA runs through at least the 2028-29 season.
