Tyler Herro spoke positively about the Miami Heat and just minutes before news broke of his altercation with former teammate Bam Adebayo.
Asked whether he holds any ill will toward the Heat after being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Herro was direct.
“Never,” said Herro. “They drafted me from Kentucky, and they gave me a platform. They gave me an opportunity. They believed in me, and it was a great seven years. Not many guys in my draft class are still on their teams or anything like that. So, again, I’m just excited and appreciative for everything that’s kind of happened and transpired.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the altercation began when Adebayo confronted Herro over social media comments criticizing the center following the end of their seven-year run together in Miami. Screenshots of an Instagram direct message conversation, shared on X in recent days, appeared to show an account run by Herro expressing frustration with Adebayo’s contract value.
“Why are Heat fans so worried about me and what I do? But I’m not the best player on the team right?” the account wrote, according to the screenshots. “I didn’t say any names. I’m just saying, should an elite defender be making 60 million a year? Answer that.”
Adebayo was Miami’s highest-paid player last season and is due $49.5 million this season. He has earned NBA All-Defensive honors in six different seasons. Herro also posted an Instagram graphic last week ranking the league’s worst midrange shooters, which listed Giannis Antetokounmpo as the worst and Adebayo 10th-worst.
Asked directly about the social media posts Friday, Herro offered little elaboration.
“You’ve seen it,” said Herro.
Herro also addressed the trade itself, saying he had anticipated the move to Milwaukee for some time.
“I saw it coming,” said Herro. “If any summer, it was going to be this summer, so I was anticipating this. And obviously not knowing Milwaukee, but I kind of figured I was going to get traded this summer. I’m excited and happy it’s Milwaukee.”
Herro said he plans to keep his home base in Miami despite the trade, with his children remaining in the city for school. He did not have a visible mark on his face during Friday’s summer league game, which he watched courtside without Adebayo in attendance.