Samwise NBA Newsletter
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Bam Adebayo Punches Tyler Herro in Las Vegas Hotel Altercation
Former Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro were involved in a physical altercation Friday morning at a Las Vegas hotel gym, sources confirmed. The incident took place at the Resorts World Casino with Herro's AAU team present. According to witnesses, Adebayo walked onto the court and, after Herro made a comment, approached and punched him. Herro was escorted out by security while his AAU coach confronted Adebayo. The confrontation reportedly stemmed from screenshots circulating online of an Instagram direct message in which Herro appeared to question whether Adebayo's defensive effort was worth his $60 million annual salary. Both the Heat and Bucks declined comment.
Wembanyama Signs 5-Year, $252 Million Max Extension With Spurs, Takes Pay Cut to Build Team
Victor Wembanyama has agreed to a five-year, $252 million rookie-scale maximum contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs, sources confirmed Friday. Notably, the 22-year-old center chose the 25 percent maximum rather than the 30 percent supermax escalator that would have pushed the deal toward $303 million, intentionally leaving roughly $50 million on the table to help San Antonio build a sustained contender around him. The deal, the third-largest rookie extension in NBA history behind Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley, includes a player option in the fifth season. Wembanyama was the 2025–26 Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NBA selection.
AJ Dybantsa Scores 27 to Outshine Darryn Peterson in Star-Studded Summer League Debuts
Washington Wizards No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa outdueled Utah Jazz second overall selection Darryn Peterson in a highly anticipated summer league matchup Thursday night in Las Vegas, finishing with 27 points and seven rebounds in a 92–88 Wizards victory. Dybantsa's 27-point debut tied Blake Griffin's record for points by a No. 1 pick in his Summer League opener, though he missed all five three-point attempts and shot 7-of-18 from the field. Peterson countered with 24 points. The two entered the matchup with history, having faced each other in January when Peterson's Kansas team defeated Dybantsa's BYU squad.
Sources: ESPN The Score Yahoo Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Caleb Wilson's Record 35-Point Debut Not Enough as Cameron Boozer's Grizzlies Win 97-96
No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson delivered a jaw-dropping 35-point performance in his NBA Summer League debut for the Chicago Bulls on Friday night but left with a 97–96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. Wilson's 35 points set a new record for most points in a player's Summer League debut. Boozer led the winning effort and furnished one of the night's defining highlights, picking Wilson's pocket in transition before converting at the rim. The game was billed as a marquee rookie showdown, with Wilson and Boozer having played against each other in college as part of the so-called “Tobacco Road” rivalry.
Sources: Yahoo Sports Yahoo Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Giannis Will Wear No. 7 in Miami After Heat Sell Wrong Jersey Number Hours After Trade
The Miami Heat confirmed Friday that Giannis Antetokounmpo will wear No. 7 in Miami—hours after his new No. 34 Heat jerseys went on sale, prompting a scramble to pull the incorrectly numbered merchandise. Antetokounmpo wore No. 34 during his 13 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks before the blockbuster trade was completed Monday. The Heat announced his formal introductory press conference is scheduled for July 16 at Kaseya Center. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo made his first public comments since the trade while appearing at SNF Nostos 2026, a cultural festival hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens, Greece, where he spoke about community support during his impoverished childhood.
Sources: Yahoo Sports HoopsHype Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Kawhi Leonard Trade to Toronto on Hold Until NBA Concludes Clippers Investigation
The Toronto Raptors' deal to acquire Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers remains on hold pending an NBA investigation into alleged impermissible benefits. The teams agreed to trade Leonard to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 pick swap, and two second-rounders. The league is investigating whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by routing payments to Leonard through his $28 million endorsement deal with now-bankrupt green banking firm Aspiration. The NBA informed the Raptors they would “assume the risk” of any penalties, prompting Toronto to pause the transaction until the investigation concludes.
Sources: Yahoo Sports ESPN HoopsHype Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Rich Paul Says No Timeline on LeBron James' Free Agency Decision as Suitors Circle
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul told reporters Friday there is no update on the 41-year-old's free agency decision. Paul confirmed James is evaluating all options after informing the Los Angeles Lakers he plans to play elsewhere in 2026–27, ending his eight-year run with the franchise. Among the teams pursuing James are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that signals point toward a return to Cleveland, with James spending extra time in Akron this summer cited as a contributing factor. James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds last season.
Heat Rout Bucks 119-86 in Summer League's First Meeting Since Giannis Blockbuster
The Miami Heat routed the Milwaukee Bucks 119–86 in NBA Summer League action Friday in Las Vegas, the first meeting between the two franchises since the blockbuster July trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee to Miami. The 33-point margin was one of the widest results through two days of the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League. The game carried additional context following the morning's physical altercation between Heat center Bam Adebayo and former teammate Tyler Herro, now of the Bucks, at a Las Vegas hotel. Neither Adebayo nor Herro participated in summer league play, as the tournament runs through July 19.
Sources: ESPN Yahoo Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
NBA Summer League 2026
Las Vegas — July 9–19 — Selected Results
Jul 9 — Wizards 92, Jazz 88 (Dybantsa 27 pts)
Jul 10 — Heat 119, Bucks 86
Jul 10 — Grizzlies 97, Bulls 96 (Wilson 35 pts)
Jul 10 — Lakers 96, Thunder 84
Jul 10 — Nets 91, Knicks 65
Jul 10 — Celtics 83, Raptors 80 (OT)
Free Agency Highlights
Major Offseason Moves
Giannis Antetokounmpo — MIL → MIA
Jaylen Brown — BOS → PHI (Paul George to BOS)
Ja Morant — MEM → POR
LaMelo Ball — CHA → MIN
Victor Wembanyama — 5yr/$252M ext. (SAS)
Donovan Mitchell — 4yr/$273M ext. (CLE)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency