Getty Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro reacts during a bout with the Detroit Pistons.
With the NBA just days away from tipping off the 2022-23 season, teams are putting the finishing touches on their rosters. As the Miami Heat prepare to start the year against the Chicago Bulls at home on October 19, Pat Riley and his front office are tying up any loose ends as they are hopeful to advance even further in this year’s playoffs.
On October 2, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced that sixth man Tyler Herro and the Heat agreed to a 4-year, $130 million max contract extension.
“Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro — the 2022 NBA Sixth Man of the Year — has agreed to a four-year, $130 million contract extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports told ESPN on Sunday,” Wojnarowski writes per ESPN.
“After averaging 20.7 points a season ago, Herro, 22, lands an annual salary worth over $30 million for his rookie scale extension ahead of the Oct. 18 deadline for members of the 2019 NBA draft class.”
Herro Hoped Deal Could Get Done Over the Summer
After a Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Heat came into this year looking to avenge their disappointing playoff exit.
But one the major decision that Miami faced heading into this season was how they would handle Herro’s future as he was in line to receive his rookie max contract extension from the franchise.
The Heat star told Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun Sentinel that he was hopeful a deal could get done this summer, but at the end of the day, he understood the decision was in the hands of the Heat front office.
“I was active early in the summer. Then I realized it wasn’t going to get done, if it does get done, until later. So, I just told my agent to call me when it’s ready,” Herro told Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun Sentinel.
“So, we haven’t really spoken much about the contract. I tell [my agent] to call me when it’s ready. If it’s not ready, I continue to play my game and figure it out next summer.”
Heat Set To Contend for Foreseeable Future
With Herro locked into Miami for the next four years, it allows the Heat to be a contender in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future. For reference, Herro and Kevin Durant’s contract with the Brooklyn Nets expire at the same time, 2026.
Last season Herro was the spark plug that the Heat needed off the bench, averaging 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists off the bench for coach Erik Spoelstra. Wojnarowski also notes that he had eight 30-point games off the bench for the Heat last year, which was the most in a season for any player since Lou Williams in 2018-2019.
In a powerful Eastern Conference loaded with talented teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics, as well as teams on the rise such as the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, the Heat will need to secure all the help they can.
Now that Herro is signed for the long-term, they can look forward to the next key roster move.