There's a chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo could start his Miami Heat era without Bam Adebayo after his altercation with Tyler Herro over the weekend at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.
Multiple accounts now state that Bam struck (or punched) Herro on a practice court in Las Vegas on Friday morning after a short verbal exchange between the two. After that, both parties left their separate ways before it escalated much further.
However, now we await the next shoe to drop, which will almost certainly be from the NBA. Considering that Bam and Herro are no longer teammates, it's unlikely that the Heat will punish Bam. They already declined to comment on it.
The NBA could end up suspending Bam Adebayo to start the season
But Adam Silver could. And, if history is accurate, he almost certainly will.
Just this past season, the NBA suspended Dennis Schroder for three games after he confronted Luka Doncic after a game. At least from an objective perspective, you'd have to imagine that what happened between Bam and Herro was slightly more intense.
Lakers star Luka Dončić was the player Kings guard Dennis Schröder sought out in the hallway for a confrontation following a Dec. 28 contest, league sources tell @NBAonPrime, @NBATV. Schröder will begin serving 3-game suspension tomorrow.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 11, 2026
Then again, going back a few years, the NBA didn't suspend (or even fine) Draymond Green for punching his then-teammate Jordan Poole during a practice. Instead, it was the Golden State Warriors who made the decision to fine Draymond.
Was part of the league's reasoning that they let the Warriors handle their in-house issues? Potentially. But it does add another layer as to what we can or should expect from the league with Bam.
Based on recent history, I think it's safe to say that because Bam and Herro aren't teammates, and because the Heat are unlikely to act, the NBA almost has to step in. Maybe there's some leeway because this technically didn't happen during or after a game, but still, I think the safe prediction is that Bam will get some sort of discipline here.
The question is, will it be a fine, suspension, or a combination of the two?
The Giannis era could begin without Bam (for a few games)
If I had to guess, I'd say we'll see a fine and a one-or-two game suspension. Because Bam has a pretty clean record, there's a chance he could get away with just a fine, but I just think the NBA has to send a message with this truly uncharacteristic move from Bam.
That means the Giannis era in Miami could very much begin without Bam for a game or two. That's not the end of the world, but it's almost not the way Heat fans would want it all to begin.
And the way it all happened is an even bigger surprise.
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