Here is your NBA Morning Brief covering all the latest NBA news, scores, trades, injuries, and standout performances from around the league.
TOP NBA Story of the Day: Bam Adebayo confronts Tyler Herro as Las Vegas altercation turns physical
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro were involved in a physical altercation on a practice court at a hotel in Las Vegas, with Adebayo reportedly striking Herro, according to Shams Charania.
The incident reportedly began when Adebayo confronted Herro over comments the guard had made on social media criticizing the center following the end of their seven-year partnership in Miami.
As a reminder, Tyler Herro was recently traded from the Miami Heat to the Milwaukee Bucks. Alongside Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, the rights to Nate Ament, and four future draft picks were also sent to Milwaukee in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr.
The Athletic has provided additional details about what happened.
“The incident took place at a gym inside the Resorts World Casino in front of Herro’s AAU team. According to multiple source who witnessed the incident and were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, Adebayo walked onto the courts and Herro said something to him. Adebayo proceed to walk over to Herro and, without hesitation, punch him. Herro’s AAU coach confronted Adebayo, and Herro yelled at his former teammate while being escorted out by security personnel. Both players left the scene on their own…Herro appeared to have a small mark under his left eye during the interview, which occurred shortly before news of the altercation with Adebayo emerged.”
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro got into a physical altercation in Las Vegas on Friday in which Adebayo struck Herro, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2026
NBA MOVES & TRANSACTIONS: Victor Wembanyama leaves $50M on the table to help Spurs build a contender
Victor Wembanyama has officially signed a new five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs. The deal also includes a player option for the fifth and final season.
According to reports, Wembanyama ultimately chose the standard 25% maximum salary level instead of pursuing the 30% supermax escalators, which could have increased the value of the contract to approximately $303 million. The decision came after he and the Spurs explored multiple contract structures before reaching an agreement.
Wembanyama was widely expected to become eligible for a five-year, $303 million supermax extension by meeting the 65-game requirement next season. However, the French superstar chose to leave significant money on the table in order to give the Spurs greater financial flexibility as they continue building a championship contender.
His decision echoes the approach taken by Spurs legends Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, all of whom accepted smaller contracts during their careers to help the franchise remain competitive and strengthen the roster around them.
Wembanyama recently led the Spurs to the NBA Finals, where they were ultimately stopped by the New York Knicks, who won the series 4-1.
The French superstar has completed his third season with San Antonio and has already established himself as one of the league’s elite players. He has earned two NBA All-Star selections (2025 and 2026), while in the recently concluded season he was named to the All-NBA First Team and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
Wembanyama appeared in 64 games this season, averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game, further highlighting his enormous impact on the Spurs and their future plans.
There were no more significant developments on the NBA market, but one story worth mentioning is that Tarik Biberovic has officially become a new member of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Turkish international spent the previous eight seasons with Fenerbahce, where he achieved tremendous success. With the Istanbul-based club, he won the EuroLeague title in 2025, along with four Turkish Super League championships and five Turkish Cups.
Biberovic was selected 56th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. However, in a recent trade, his rights were acquired by the Dallas Mavericks, who decided to bring him to the NBA and add him to their roster.
Spurs family, I’m here to stay.
— Wemby (@wemby) July 10, 2026
Whatever it takes🖤
NBA RUMOR MILL: LeBron James free agency mystery deepens as Cavaliers and Heat remain in race
LeBron James remains the player attracting the most attention on the NBA market. However, as time passes, fewer teams are being mentioned as potential destinations for the greatest scorer in NBA history. At this point, the main favorites to land James are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, two of his former teams.
Earlier today, Bill Simmons shared his information, claiming that, according to his sources, everything is already agreed upon and that James will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third stint.
“The Cleveland thing is done,” Simmons said briefly.
However, Brian Windhorst later addressed the situation on ESPN Cleveland, revealing that he knows which team James will sign with and insisting that it will definitely not be the Cavaliers.
“I’m hearing stuff in other cities too. I’m not gonna say who, but I had somebody on the phone with me today that I consider a good source who was swearing it’s a done deal in another city.”
Although he recently completed his 23rd professional season, James has shown that he still has plenty to offer at the age of 41. In 60 games last season, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brian Windhorst says he’s hearing that LeBron signing with a team other than Cleveland is a done deal.
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 10, 2026
"I'm hearing stuff in other cities too. I'm not gonna say who but I had somebody on the phone with me today that I consider a good source who was swearing it's a done deal in… pic.twitter.com/JKIboKqN2J
NBA MARKET WATCH: Cap space watch
As the 2026 NBA offseason begins to take shape, cap space is quickly becoming one of the most decisive factors in how the league’s free agency and trade market will unfold.
A clear divide is emerging between teams that are financially flexible and those operating near the second apron, where every move requires far more precision and long-term calculation. That gap is already shaping conversations across front offices, especially as teams begin prioritizing either aggressive roster upgrades or preservation of future flexibility.
Several franchises enter this phase of the offseason with significant cap room, positioning themselves as potential accelerators of the market. These teams are not necessarily chasing star-level free agents, but instead are strategically placed to absorb contracts, facilitate multi-team trades, or take advantage of opportunistic signings once the market begins to move.
On the other end of the spectrum, contending teams remain heavily restricted by apron-related limitations, which continues to push them toward smaller, targeted improvements rather than major roster overhauls. In many cases, this is forcing front offices to explore creative mechanisms such as sign-and-trade structures or veteran minimum additions to address clear roster needs.
The next phase of the offseason will likely be dictated by how quickly the cap-space teams decide to act. Historically, once the first major domino falls, it creates immediate ripple effects across the league, unlocking stalled negotiations and forcing other organizations to adjust their strategy in real time.
For now, the market remains in a holding pattern — but the financial landscape is already clearly defining who will have the power to shape it.
