Victor Wembanyama is the definition of a no-brainer max extension for the Spurs — and the two sides have agreed to just that, a five-year, $252 million extension, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
However, the key for the Spurs is that Wembanyama agreed to no escalators, Charania reports, and that could save the Spurs more than $50 million over the course of this deal. What the sides have agreed to is the 25% of the salary cap max. However, Wembanyama, a First-Team All-NBA selection and reigning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, would very likely qualify for a Rose rule 30% max contract, estimated to start at $53.5 million and be worth more than $300 million over the course of the five-year contract.
Essentially, Wemby left $50 million on the table to help the Spurs build out the roster around him. Wembanyama hinted about this on social media.
The impact of the current CBA and the punitive tax apron system has become a hot topic around the NBA. The Knicks just won a title in part because Jalen Brunson took $113 million off the max he could have asked for, giving the Knicks' front office some room to bring in other players. Celtics president Brad Stevens said that trading away Jaylen Brown was, in part, because of the challenges of building out their roster with two supermax players (Brown and Jayson Tatum).
Wembanyama and the Spurs worked together to secure a healthy payday for Wembanyama, averaging a little more than $50 million per season, while retaining some flexibility, Charania reports.
Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots a game last season, finished third in MVP voting and was unanimously voted the Defensive Player of the Year. It's become evident that very soon — maybe by next season — he will be the best player walking the face of the earth, and other teams have to plan how to handle him, not just in a specific game but for how they build their rosters.
Getting that player on any kind of discount is a steal for the Spurs and generous of Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama is staying in San Antonio, and he left money on the table to do it.
The Spurs announced Friday, July 10 that they signed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to a multiyear contract extension. The team didn't disclose terms, but ESPN's Shams Charania reported Wembanyama chose the standard 25% maximum, projected at roughly $252 million over five years, and passed on supermax escalator language that would have pushed the deal to about $303 million had he made an All-NBA team or won MVP or Defensive Player of the Year next season.
He almost certainly would have.
According to Charania, the Spurs offered the full supermax and worked through multiple frameworks with Wembanyama's camp before he settled on the smaller structure, a sacrifice meant to give San Antonio room to build a sustained contender around him.
Wembanyama clearly learned something from the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson, the Knicks star who beat the Spurs to win the 2026 NBA championship, has been celebrated for signing below his max in 2024. That allowed New York to keep a deep roster that went on to win the franchise's first title in 53 years.
A month later, Wembanyama followed the same game plan.
The 22-year old is coming off a season that made the supermax a formality had he wanted it. He became the youngest Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history and the first unanimous winner since the award began in 1982-83, made an All-NBA FIrst Team, and averaged career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds with a league-leading 3.08 blocks. He led the league in blocks for a third straight season, something only two other players have done, and became the seventh player in league history to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
During the postseason, he averaged 23.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and a playoff-best 3.55 blocks over 22 games. Only Elgin Baylor had previously reached the Finals in his first playoff appearance while earning first team All-NBA honors in the same season.
The top pick in the 2023 draft owns a career average of 23.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.46 blocks. He won a silver medal with France at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs’ number one priority this summer was always going to be to tie down their franchise player for the foreseeable future, and as expected, they’re doing just that with Victor Wembanyama. After some extra time and rumors suggesting he was taking a discount, he is signing a maximum contract extension worth $252 million (25% of the salary cap) across five years. Where the discount comes in is he’s also waiving the escalators that would allow it to turn into a super max contract worth $303 million (30% of the salary cap) if he earns All-NBA honors or wins MVP or Defensive Player of the Year in the 2026-27 season.
The contract kicks in next summer and lasts through the 2031-32 season (which feels weird to type), with a player option for 2031-32.
BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama has signed a five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/NwbTiIkurd
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Spurs offered Wemby multiple scenarios and layouts, including the super max, but this discount was Wemby’s decision. The Tim Duncan-esque sacrifice allows the Spurs future flexibility, giving them better odds of keeping their young core together when it’s time for players like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper to start looking at their extensions.
Wembanyama decided on the 25% maximum instead of the 30% supermax escalators to $303M, after he and the Spurs went through multiple frameworks. A major decision for the All-NBA star and Defensive Player of the Year entering his fourth season.
San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions. But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him.
The Spurs drafted Wembanyama after winning the ultimate lottery jackpot in 2023. He was only their third ever no. 1 pick, joining Spurs legends David Robinson and Duncan. He soon joined them as their third ever Rookie of the Year (with Castle joining the club a year later) after averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks, making first team All-Defense and appearing in what is for now a career-high 71 games. Although his second season was cut short by deep vein thrombosis, he was still named an All-Star and led the league in blocks despite only appearing in 46 games. While the Spurs appeared on the way the play-in at worst before his diagnosis, they broke through in almost the biggest way imaginable in his third season.
They far exceeded expectations by winning 62 games and finishing second in the West. Wemby posted career highs in points (25), rebounds (11.5) and field goal percentage (51.2%) while making the All-Star team, winning Defensive Player of the Year, coming in third in MVP voting, making the All-NBA and All-Defense First Teams and again leading the league in blocks. But more importantly, they not only busted their six-year playoff drought, but they made it all the way to the Finals, including beating the defending champion Thunder in a dramatic seven-game series despite not having homecourt advantage in the Conference Finals, where Wemby was named MVP.
Although the Spurs ultimately fell short of a championship, blowing four double-digit leads to the well-rested Knicks while looking exhausted down the stretch of games, the season could only be considered a success. For his part, Wemby posted historical numbers while on the floor in the playoffs, including a plus/minus of +196 (+8.91 per game) while tying LeBron James (2009) and Kawhi Leonard (2017) for the highest Estimated Plus-Minus of a single playoff run with +9.4. (Whether or not those staggering numbers say more about the Wemby or the performance of the Spurs’ bench is debatable, but there’s no doubt his play on the court is what lifted them so high.)
Finally, he continued to show he will likely be the block king of the NBA before all is said and done. Not only did he set a single-game playoff record with 12 blocks in Game 1 of the second round against the Timberwolves (which he probably won’t try again since it sapped his energy on the other end and they ended up losing), but he surpassed Dikembe Mutombo’s record of 69 blocks in a player’s ever first playoff run, recording 78 by the end of the Finals for a whopping 3.5 per game.
The crazy thing is, after all that, he’s still just 22 years old and has plenty of room to grow and improve. Beyond just staying healthy — he missed 18 games this season, mostly due to a calf strain, and only met the 65-game minimum for awards thanks to the Spurs making the In-Season Tournament Finals — there’s still some areas he could be better, such as three-point shooting (he shot a league average of just under 35% on 5.5 attempts but was inconsistent), shot selection and overall decision making with the ball in his hands. (While his turnovers have gone down each season, 2.4 is still high for a non-point guard.)
The playoffs also showed he has a little more maturing to do, as he let his emotions get the better of him a few times over physical play, which led to him elbowing Naz Reid in the neck for a flagrant 2 and ejection in round 2. He only barely avoided suspension thanks to being a first-time offender. He also got a flagrant 1 in Game 4 of the Finals for elbowing Kart-Anthony Towns in the chin, and he could have been suspended had the Spurs forced a Game 6 after the refs missed a Zaza closeout on a Jalen Brunson three in Game 5. Had it been reviewed by the league and upgraded to a flagrant after the fact, it would have been his 4th flagrant point of the playoffs, which is an automatic suspension.
Finally, he (rightfully) faced backlash for retreating to the locker room and not shaking hands after the Finals were over, which was not a good look and set a poor example. Regardless, every young player has their growing pains that make them stronger, and this was certainly a learning experience for Wemby and the entirety of the Spurs’ young core that will hopefully pay off down the line. Today’s mindful sacrifice for the future of his team is certainly a big step.
Wemby isn’t the only current player the Spurs have business to attend to. They have until October 31 to exercise Castle’s 4th-year rookie option and Harper and Carter Bryant’s third-year options (but odds are slim they’ll take that long). Other in-house business the Spurs already took care of was re-signing Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes, as well as signing their first round picks (Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed) to standard contracts and second round picks (Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown) to two-ways. They also added veteran forward Tobias Harris, which leaves two roster spots left to be filled (but only one required).
Welcome to San Antonio for the extended future, Wemby! (And thanks for finally getting it done! I’ve only had this written and waiting in the wings since Monday morning when the moratorium period ended, although some unexpected edits were required.)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama defends against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 during the second quarter of NBA Finals Game 4 on June 10, 2026.
Victor Wembanyama is getting paid — but is helping out his team in a big way.
It is the third-highest rookie extension in NBA history, according to the Worldwide Leader.
However, he took the extension at 25 percent of the salary cap instead of 30 percent escalators, which could help San Antonio build around him.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama defends against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the second quarter of NBA Finals Game 4 on June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted, Wembanyama will make $43.5 million in the first year instead of $52.5 million he could have with the 30 percent escalators.
Of note, Stephon Castle is eligible for an extension next summer.
The deal for Wembanyama comes after the big man recorded career highs in points (25) and rebounds (11.5) per game as the Spurs made a run into the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Knicks in five games.
For the third straight year, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman also led the league in blocks per game (3.1) and came away with the Defensive Player of the Year.
England men’s cricketers have been advised to avoid drinking alcohol on the day before and after matches under new behaviour guidelines, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported Friday.
Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome is taking on a new but familiar role as an assistant coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Rome, who played in the NHL for eight seasons and three as a Canuck, spent last season as the head coach of the Wheat Kings’ U-17 AAA team. Previously, he has also taken on a role with the Wheat Kings as a skills coach (2017–18 to 2018–19), while also serving as an assistant coach in 2016–17. In his first season as an assistant coach for Brandon, the Wheat Kings put together a record of 31–31–7–3, putting them at fourth in the WHL’s East Division.
As a player, Rome spent a total of five full seasons playing in the WHL. He began his WHL career with the Saskatoon Blades (1998–99 to 2000–01), before moving on to the Kootenay Ice (now Wenatchee Wild) for two seasons. He spent nearly three seasons with the Swift Current Broncos following that, before heading to the Moose Jaw Warriors for the back-half of his final WHL season in 2003–04.
After NHL stints with the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets, Rome headed to Vancouver for three seasons. This, of course, included the Canucks’ 2011 Stanley Cup run, during which Rome was suspended for four games of the Stanley Cup Final after a hit on Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton.
As it stands, the Wheat Kings’ roster is currently set to include Ducks prospect Brady Turko, defencemen Ilari Kapanen and Josh McGregor, and forward Colin Grubb. Marty Murray is currently the club’s head coach and general manager.
Feb 26, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome (29) defends against the Dallas Stars attack during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Canucks 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27, 2026: Victor Bericoto #83 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with Nate Furman #90 and Grant McCray #58 after hitting a grand slam during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This afternoon, the San Francisco Giants announced that they placed Victor Bericoto on the 10-day IL “with an oblique strain” and taking his spot on the roster is 25-year old Grant McCray, in the majors for the first time in 2026.
McCray had surgery back in June to repair his left hamate bone and up to that point he’d been hitting just .237/.360/.370. He made just three starts since being activated, but he’s 4-for-8 with a homer, a double, a strikeout and a walk. He also stole 3 bases and didn’t get caught. McCray’s defense will come in handy. His bat remains the central question.
He’ll be taking Victor Bericoto’s roster spot. An oblique strain is a tough injury for a hitter and it’s a real shame to see such a young player have some quite positive momentum halted by the injury bug. Such is baseball, I suppose. Then again, it’s remarkable to consider how much these two players mirror each other. In 59 plate appearances, the 24-year old Bericoto had 15 strikeouts against just 1 walk but 4 homers and 3 doubles. In McCray’s debut age-23 season, he swatted 5 homers in 130 plate appearances and had 56 strikeouts against just 6 walks. Not exactly the same, but close enough in terms of those three true outcomes. Although, it’s absolutely worth mentioning that Bericoto’s line in a much smaller sample is much, much better than what McCray did in 2024: .293/.305/.552 vs. .202/.238/.379.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how the outfield defense aligns late in games because McCray is an outstanding defender in center and right and with Jung Hoo Lee and Drew Gilbert on the roster (at least for now), his playing time seems a little fuzzy.
The bigger surprise is the return of Keaton Winn, who comes off the IL after being seemingly lost to the vagaries of Tony Vitello’s managing. But, nope. After hitting the IL on June 8th, he returned and rehabbed on July 3 and made 3 total appearances across the Giants minor leagues (who were playing home games in Northern California). He struck out 3 in three innings while walking 2 and allowing just a hit. He bumps Carson Whisenhunt back to the minors because, as Alex Pavlovic points out, “With the All-Star break, he wasn’t going to be in line to start for at least a week.”
Before Vitello used him three days in a row for reasons only understood by Tony Vitello, Winn had really settled into the season with a 2.40 ERA (3.21 FIP) in 30 IP. Replacing Ryan Walker’s putridness with Keaton Winn’s potential is the only logical move the team could make. Winn is probably a 20 on the 20-80 scale if they scored injury, but if he can rattle off 4-5 great appearances over the next couple of weeks then the Giants might be able to move the 28-year old for some prospects by the August 3rd MLB trade deadline. And at this point, the draft and the trade deadline are what this terrible, no good, very bad season is all about.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12: A view of a tarp on the infield during a rain delay before a game between the Washington Nationals and the Seattle Mariners at Nationals Park on June 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are looking to end their first half on a high note this weekend in Washington, DC, when they face the upstart Nationals. Said Nats have been better than expected in their first full year with a new front office and skipper, which hadn’t been changed since their 2019 World Series-winning team fell apart. Ryan Weathers, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren have a tough lineup facing them this weekend, and Weathers is slated to be the first to get a shot at them tonight. The Nats are sending out lefty Carson Palmquist as an opener with familiar starter Zack Littell likely to follow as the “bulk guy.”
However, we’ll have to wait a bit. The Nationals announced that there is “inclement weather” in the area and that first pitch—which had been scheduled for 6:45pm ET—was delayed. They put the news out there at 6:07pm ET and as of just a few minutes ago, the tarp was still on the field. Bummer.
The start of today’s game has been delayed due to inclement weather. We are monitoring the situation and will provide an update as more information becomes available.
LAS VEGAS — Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and his former teammate Tyler Herro — who was traded to Milwaukee in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal — got into an altercation during a Summer League practice in Las Vegas, a story first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and later confirmed by NBC Sports.
The Miami Heat are aware of the incident but are not commenting, nor were the Bucks, team representatives told NBC Sports. The Heat and Bucks were in the midst of playing each other in a Summer League game when news of the incident began to break.
The incident reportedly happened at a hotel in Las Vegas during a morning practice. A number of teams in the city for Summer League set up full mini-facilities in ballrooms at the larger hotels, including bringing in full-size practice courts with baskets and setting them up, as well as training rooms, dining spaces, film rooms and more. Practices at a hotel are common.
Adebayo reportedly approached Herro about comments Herro allegedly made on an alternate Instagram account. Those comments reportedly included "You should get paid 60 million to be a top tier defender on some nights?"
Adebayo, a mainstay of the Heat franchise and team culture, averaged 20.1 points and 10 rebounds a game for Miami last season while being named to an All-Defensive team for the sixth time in his career.
Herro, a Milwaukee native, is headed back to Wisconsin once the Antetokounmpo trade becomes official. He averaged 20.5 points while shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc last season for the Heat.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 01: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) as seen during a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals on July 01, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Jacob Lopez takes the mound today against the White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago. | David Frerker-Imagn Images
The 41-52 Athletics take on the 47-45 Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago today. The Southsiders are in the midst of the most dramatic turn-around from last season, currently sitting in first place in the American League (AL) Central, while the visiting A’s are mired in a six-game losing streak and open the day in fourth place in the AL West.
Taking the mound this afternoon for the A’s is Jacob Lopez. The 28-year-old lefty is 4-3 in thirteen appearances with a 7.04 ERA. He has had forty-two strikeouts in 53.2 innings this year. He’ll go up against 26-year-old righty Sean Burke for the Pale Hose. Burke is 5-4 with a 3.56 ERA over the course of eighteen appearances this season. The White Sox will be thrilled to see rookie phenom Munetaka Murakami return to their lineup today after more than a month on the Injured List (IL) with a right hamstring strain.
Burke will face off against this lineup for Mark Kotsay’s Athletics:
Lopez will battle this lineup for Will Venable’s White Sox:
KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 19: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals looks on during warm ups prior to the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Friday, June 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I really wish I could find a shirt like the one Luinder Avila is wearing in the photo I’ve attached to this piece in my size. If y’all see anything like that somewhere in a 4XL or 5XL and could let me know, I’d super duper appreciate it.
Oh yeah, we’re here to talk about baseball. The Royals are playing the Orioles in Baltimore tonight. Luinder Avila is going to start for KC. To say that his results have been mixed since he joined the rotation following a variety of pitching injuries would not be an overstatement. He has a 5.04 ERA, thanks in no small part to his wimpy 6.2% K-BB%. He needs to strike more guys out and walk fewer while starting. The curveball that was his bread and butter coming up through the system is now his fourth-most-used pitch out of five. His sinker and slider have been the only pitches he’s been able to throw with much effectiveness, but he still struggles to get them – or any – of his pitches in the strike zone. When a hitter chases a lot, he’s going to be streaky (see: Salvador Perez). When a pitcher struggles to throw strikes, even with stuff as good as Avila’s, he will also be streaky, and that’s what we’re seeing here. He’s going to need to improve if he wants to have a career as long as teammates Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, and the easiest way for that to happen is probably to move him to the bullpen, where he can simplify things. But the Royals are already relying on Randy Dobnak as a bulk reliever, so he’s stuck in the rotation for now.
The Orioles will use Brandon Young and I’ve got to be honest, I’d never heard of the guy before today. Young and Avila are remarkably similar in many respects, though Young’s stuff isn’t quite as good. Young throws a splitter instead of a changeup, and he’s been slightly better at getting it in the strike zone, so he’s generated a fair bit more chase when he leaves the zone. Young leans a lot heavier on his four-seam fastball than Avila. Despite its lower velocity and spin rate, it gets drastically more movement, which has allowed him to keep hitters from squaring it up as well. Oddly enough, they share an identical xwOBA, so Young has probably been on the luckier side. But he walks significantly fewer batters, so that helps too.
Lineups
As you likely saw earlier today, Vinnie Pasquantino has rejoined the Royals less than a month after suffering a hamate bone injury. That usually keeps guys out for longer, but he’s Vinnie, so he’s back. Inexplicably, he’s not in tonight’s starting lineup. Why is he back if he’s not playing? Salvador Perez is starting at first, and he is a downgrade both defensively and offensively. Nick Loftin is DHing and while he’s been hitting better the past few days, he’s not exactly you would usually see a manager feel like he has to get into the lineup. All in all, this makes pretty much no sense to me. Baseball!
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, right, congratulates shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) for scoring a run against Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, June 26, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (43-50) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (52-42)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:The Good Phight Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Jack Flaherty (2-8, 4.60 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-6, 5.87 ERA)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 27: Brandon Young #63 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles and Royals are both bad. Remember when they were both good? Those were the days. Well, until the playoffs came anyway. But let’s talk about something else.
Brandon Young is pitching for the Orioles tonight, AKA the Orioles ace. His last start against the Reds wasn’t great, but everyone’s allowed to have a bump in the road. Hopefully, he’s back on track after that.
Luinder Avila is starting for the Royals. He has a 5.05 ERA and a 1.587 WHIP, which makes me oddly nervous. You know what I mean. Avila started the year in the bullpen but has been in the rotation since June 1st. He doesn’t generally go more than five innings. Again, that makes me nervous. It’s hard being an Orioles fan.
Orioles lineup
Gunnar Henderson (L) SS Adley Rutschman (S) C Taylor Ward (R) LF Pete Alonso (R) 1B Samuel Basallo (L) DH Dylan Beavers (L) RF Colton Cowser (L) CF Blaze Alexander (R) 3B Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
Royals lineup
Carter Jensen (L) C Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS Jac Caglianone (L) RF Lane Thomas (R) CF Michael Massey (L) 2B Salvador Perez (R) 1B Josh Rojas (L) 3B Nick Loftin (R) DH Isaac Collins (S) LF
Miami Heat captain Bam Adebayo reportedly got into a physical altercation with former teammate Tyler Herro in which Adebayo allegedly struck Herro.
According to ESPN, the incident took place at a practice court on Friday, July 10 in Las Vegas — the site of the NBA’s Summer League showcase — when Adebayo approached Herro about a critical social media post Herro recently made. Per the report, Adebayo struck Herro near the face.
A spokesperson for the Heat told USA TODAY Sports in a text message that the franchise is aware of the matter but is not commenting further.
Adebayo and Herro were teammates for all seven of Herro’s seasons in the NBA, each of which had been in Miami. Adebayo (2016-17) and Herro (2018-19) also each played one season of college basketball at Kentucky, though neither player overlapped in Lexington.
It is common for current players to gather in Las Vegas during Summer League, so that they can support the rookies and young players who are participating in the games but also get additional workouts on courts across the city.
A few days after the trade between Miami and Milwaukee was agreed to, screenshots of direct messages between a fan and Herro were leaked, showing Herro discussing the dynamics of the Heat. Although Herro did not name Adebayo, the posts clearly indicate Adebayo was the subject of some pointed criticism.
“You should get paid 60 million to be a top tier defender on some night?” Herro wrote in one of the direct messages. “I’m just wondering, since we talking.”
Adebayo’s average salary for his current contract is $53.4 million, but he is Miami’s top-paid player.
The player topping the list was Antetokounmpo, with a 26.8% mark, and Adebayo ranked 10th, at 35.9%.
Earlier in the day Friday, the Amazon Prime broadcast interviewed Herro and asked about his relationship with the Heat.
“It’s all love. It’s all love in Miami,” Herro said during the interview. “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’s unclear if this interview took place before or after the altercation.
Adebayo and Herro had a cordial and friendly relationship while both played in Miami. In fact, during a taped vodcast, Herro asked Adebayo who on the Heat would always have Adebayo’s back if a fight broke out.
“I mean I would hope all of y’all, considering I got all y’all back,” Adebayo began. “One person? Man, I’mma say T, just cause we got the longest relationship.”
In response to that, Herro said: “Yeah, I’m coming.”
Agents representing Adebayo and Herro each did not return requests for comment. Spokespersons for the Bucks also did not return requests for comment.
