The Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro era is over for the Miami Heat. And there now may have been some burned bridges in the process.
As first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday, Adebayo and Herro were involved in a physical altercation at a Las Vegas practice court. This comes after Herro had publicly made negative comments on Adebayo’s game and being skeptical of him earning a max salary with Miami on social media. Of course, Herro was the headlining piece of a trade package haul between the Heat and Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Each of Adebayo, Herro, the Heat organization and the NBA have not made any comments on the reported altercation. In fact, Herro’s lone statement when asked about the incident was “my only comment is no comment,” per Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.
However, now more tea leaves are starting to publicly get uncovered. This started with Barry Jackson’s tweet that mentioned there began to be resentment from multiple former Heat players that Adebayo evidently has become the “chosen one” within the organization:
“What we can tell you is there has been some level of resentment from multiple former Heat players that Bam was the chosen one here and was given a big $$ extension by the Heat and was never subjected to trade rumors.”
– Barry Jackson/Miami Herald
Bam Adebayo is viewed as “Heat Royalty” in the eyes of the front office and coaches.
Another interesting, yet completely accurate, quote following the Herro-Adebayo news came from league insider Marc Stein of the Stein Line— where he added much more detail with the notion of Adebayo being the “chosen one.”
“He is Heat royalty for Micky Arison, Nick Arison, Pat Riley. He is the modern day Udonis Haslem. They consider him the absolute franchise pillar. I’ve always heard nothing but he’s held in high regards by his teammates… He is the untouchable there. That part is for sure. He is an extension of Pat Riley, Spo, ownership.”
– Marc Stein
There is a majority of players and colleagues around the league that have the utmost respect for Adebayo. He was crowned the league’s social justice champion this past season. He has been the Heat’s captain for years, taking the reins from 20-year Heat legend Udonis Haslem to be next in line for a leadership role.
That type of respect isn’t given, it’s earned. And it is simple to come to the conclusion of which “former” players felt entitlement from Adebayo’s relationship with Miami.
Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro have now both made things ugly on their way out.
The reality is that both Jimmy Butler and Herro went away from the main thing in their way out, which is winning a championship. They were due for max extensions and that became the priority, more specifically for Butler’s case.
But the Heat were reluctant to offer those financial resources to a pair of players that were aging (Butler) and struggled with availability issues for most of their Heat tenure.
Something that nobody can argue other wise with Adebayo is that he is reliable. He is a shoe-in to play in 70+ games consistently every season, even if it means playing through nagging injuries.
Not to mention, a walking 20-10 double-double and one of the most elite defenders in the entire association. Miami chose the right guy.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
- Miami Heat: 4 numbers to note from 2026-27 schedule release
- 7 games Heat fans should circle on 2026-27 calendar
- Should the Heat explore bringing back this newly available ‘3 and D’ player?
- Former Heat All-Star reveals surprising details about his free agency departure
- Hanifan: 5 teams I’m most excited for Heat to play this season
Again this why I’m not mad at bam for finally having enough of the talk. No matter how hard you play or show it on the court you’re still counting out and shit on when you do like his 83 points. Something that should’ve been and still should be celebrated is criticized how he got there.
I love Bam. He’s a great representative for Miami. But I do kind of agree with Herro about his contract.
Bam will be the 18th highest earning player next year. I don’t think he’s a top 20 player.
Great player in Miami’s history. Great leader for the franchise. Over paid? Probably.
With that said, I’m more than okay with him sticking up for himself against his former teammates.
Who gives a crap what the former players felt. Maybe it’s why they’re former players.
In the span of a year and a half since Feb. 2025 the Heat turned Butler and Herro into Giannis, Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. And the future cost of the Giannis trade, two firsts and one swap, is less than what the Lakers owe the Jazz for Kessler (two firsts, two swaps) and about equivalent to what MIN owes in the Lamelo trade (1 first, 3 swaps)
You forgot to mention, that any valuable young player but Pelle went out in those trades.
Though, good decisions, but nothing to celebrate till winning it all.
Herro – expiring contract/free agent after this year who the Heat were likely not going to reach agreement with on an extension
Jaquez – RFA after this year who is due a big extension. <32% 3PT shooter for career and lacks positional size for wing (8'3.5" standing reach)
Ware – RFA in two years, fighting for a second contract. Worst on off DRB% on the team last year, Heat gave up the most OREBs when Ware was on the court
Jakucionis – the final holdup in the trade, but not a reason to not make a trade for Giannis. Acquired with GSW's draft pick/part of the Butler trade
#13 pick (Nate Ament) – project big who is all potential
Those 5 players plus two future firsts for Giannis is a home run trade. An impressive pivot from the 2025 team with Butler on an expiring contract
Nope, 4 of them for Giannis would be a home run. That said, I think It was the right decision to go in with 5 players.
Any good teams needs some youth, not only elite talent and vets to be successful, if nothing else, to bring some energy and an element of surprise.
Right now one of Pelle, Jovic, Gardner, the new draftee should provide that. Not a very promising group.
Look at what the best assets in the trade are from Milwaukee’s perspective. The single best was the #13 pick in this year’s draft. Then the next best were the two future firsts and one swap (which are fewer or comparable to what LAL, MIN etc just gave up).
After the picks it’s unclear what the next best part of the trade is for MIL and it was about quantity of players.
It’s Herro on talent, but he’s an expiring contract and his pending extension limited his value. Fans wanted him traded for second round picks at the trade deadline, instead the Heat waited and his salary became the central asset in a trade for Giannis.
Then Jaquez, who could not be paid an extension while also extending Larsson. Then Jakucionis and Ware, recent non-lottery picks.
The trade consolidated multiple players who couldn’t or wouldn’t be extended (Herro and Jaquez), Ware, a second year player from a bad draft in 2024 who had the worst on off numbers on the team last year, and Jakucionis, who had a promising rookie year but played only 18 mpg. All that into not just an MVP talent in return but a back to back MVP (one of 14 in NBA history), a simultaneous MVP and DPOY (one of 3), one of the best to ever play the game.
Say what you want about those players, those are quality players with potential.
What is left is two second round pick, one of them already played over expectations, the other one rookie, and a late first round pick, playing well bellow expectations. And yeah, a bunch of undrafted two way players.
Giannis, Bam, Wiggins is not enough, even with adding LBJ.
THJ, Portis, Mitchell and Simone, Dru will fill the holes, thats it. Pelle is probably close to what he is.
If only Kas would stay, some internal growth could be expected. Right now, we should rely on Jovic to somehow bring that. What is a chance for that? Close to zero, I would say.
Enjoyed watching all of the players traded and they all seem like quality people. But the trade was two who contractually were up for big extensions in Herro and Jaquez, one who’s second NBA contract is totally unknown in Ware, and one who averaged 18 mpg in Jakucionis, for Giannis. It’s objectively one of the most impressive trades in many years. Even those who don’t like Miami are forced to say it was a good trade.
Also think you are underrating Pelle, the best young player on the Heat after Herro, and the best two way player of anyone listed above who the Heat kept out of the trade.
Yes, Herro and JJJ should go in any case, I agree with you. Ware too. No. 13 pick too. Picks and picks swaps too. No arguing here. That trade would be a reason for celebrating
Giving up Kas too was the the right decision, but thats the line where an excellent trade turns into average one.
Kas is a valuable asset, it is for Bucks, and it is for a lot of other team. If Miami would offer him in a separate trade, they would get a lot for him.
Agree to disagree on it, a trade for an all time great who is still in their prime is a rare thing in nba history and Jakucionis included doesn’t change that. Have to give something to get something and the Heat were able to hold on to the player with the most potential in Larsson imo.
Exactly. Ware, Jaquez, and Kas are not chopped liver.
From Feb. 2025 to July 2026
Butler (expiring contract), Herro (expiring contract) Jaquez (expiring contract), Ware, #13 pick in 2026, plus two future firsts, one swap, one second
For Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Giannis
Only impressive if Giannis plays like an MVP and is healthy.
Both of those are questionable given his age and injury history. Could go down as an all time steal or big fumble.
If Ware or Kasparas, the multiple draft picks develop into stars, we won’t be talking about how great a deal this was. If Giannis who has a lot of mileage falls apart and those draft picks end up higher than you thought, it won’t be looked at favorably.
Yes, that’s true. But, all three of the potentialities you described in your third paragraph are less likely, as opposed to more likely, to happen. It’s a risk clearly worth taking.
Health is the only question, not performance, and health is a universal question in any trade, part of the risk of making any trade. Last time Giannis played a full season and finished outside top 4 MVP voting and 1st team All-NBA was 2018. This isn’t a normal star level player the Heat are acquiring but one of the best forwards ever, with a higher competitive level than 99.9% of the league who wants to add more to his resume.
Jimmy is jealous!!
Sounds like a personal problem. Dude gonna be out injured until as late as February 2027. At 36, he’s the second oldest NBA player to suffer an ACL injury. He turns 37 in September.