Is Miami Heat Star Tyler Herro’s Trade Block Return Inevitable?
Miami Heat star Tyler Herro is no stranger to the trade block, meaning it’s almost inevitable for his name to land there once again.
Herro is not the Heat’s most enticing trade asset (as that title goes to veteran star Jimmy Butler), but his inconsistencies make him the most expendable. The front office taunts with the idea of moving him for a third superstar, including Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell.
These failed deals took place during summer, as Herro seemingly vanishes from rumors in the regular season. This pattern will likely end in the upcoming season.
The former Sixth Man of the Year is stuck in a lose-lose situation when it comes to the outcome of the Heat’s season.
Team president Pat Riley should entertain the idea of adding superstar talent for a championship push, barring high seeding at the trade deadline. Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen is among possible options if he is not traded to the Golden State Warriors.
This is Butler’s final year under contract, putting a tank year out of the equation. The No. 1 option proved himself worthy of this title in 2023, where Herro missed the majority of the postseason. Not only did this damage his value to the organization, but also raised curiosity in the front office. His absence during their Finals run poses the question of whether a different star resulted in the raising of the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The front office gains even greater motivation to explore their options if the Heat crumble in the regular season. Fans could see a complete roster revamp at the deadline, with Herro and Butler seeing a change of scenery. Butler is an intriguing name for any championship contender while the market for the 24-year-old will largely depend on his health.
Fans should pay close attention to Herro’s situation once February rolls around, regardless of Miami’s triumph or failure.
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Miami Heat Told to Make Bold Tyler Herro Decision
The Miami Heat simply have not done enough so far this summer to be considered Championship contenders heading into the 2024-25 season. Especially when you consider how strong Eastern Conference teams like the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics look.
Thus, the Heat will need to make some bold decisions if they are to be contenders again anytime soon. Could one of them involve trading Tyler Herro?
Herro was drafted by the Heat in 2019 and quickly established himself as a player to watch out for. He had ‘star’ written all over him and Jack Harlow even named a song after him.
Over the past two seasons, Herro’s numbers have plateaued though. He has not shown much or any improvement in most departments.
That is not to say that he is not a solid player, because he most definitely is. Herro averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 42 games in the 2023-24 season. But he has failed to make the leap to superstardom that was expected of him.
Herro’s massive contract has impacted the Heat’s financial flexibility as well. In 2022, he signed a four-year extension that could be worth as much as $130 million.
Add to that his injury history, Herro played just 42 games in the 23-24 campaign and has never featured more than 67 times in a regular season in his career, and there is certainly a case to be made for trading him.
In the article ‘3 Reasons Miami Heat should cut bait with Tyler Herro’ on All U Can Heat, Daniel Riccio wrote: “Had his play justified his hefty salary (that will be covered in a bit), then the financial hit wouldn’t be as bad. But having a player taking up the third highest salary on the team that has struggled to stay healthy and produce at a high level, is a burden. The Heat have had little to no cap space over the left couple of offseasons to go out and make roster improvements.”
Of course, finding Herro a new home would not be simple. His trade value is not what it would have been a couple of years ago.