Getty Gabe Vincent #2, Tyler Herro #14 and head coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat talk against the Atlanta Hawks
Tyler Herro won this season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award last season after a strong 2021-22 campaign. The guard averaged an impressive 20.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as part of the Miami Heat’s second unit. His play off the bench was so good that some, including Herro, believed he should have been named to the NBA All-Star team. The Heat awarded Herro’s play handsomely this offseason, to the tune of a 4-year $130 million contract extension.
The extension is extra valuable for Herro, who spent much of his time in Miami in trade rumors. The Heat never pulled the trigger on any deals, but his new extension makes him untradeable for the next year, and he can have peace of mind about staying in South Beach a little longer. However, now with his new contract, the flashy guard is hoping to prove another thing this season.
Herro Believes He Should be a Starter
After his impressive season last year and his new contract Tyler Herro is not hesitating to say that he believes he should be a starter on this Heat team. In a conversation in a radio interview with Jason Jackson, Herro told the host that he believes he is proven enough at the sixth man and has the talent to be in the Heat’s starting rotation.
“I just be myself and whatever he needs, you know. Like you said, I’ve got the game, I’ve got everything to be a starter. But we know the end goal, and to win a championship. We are a very talented team, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. You know, I think obviously I’ve shown that I can be a sixth man, but I want to prove that I’m a starter as well,” Herro said on Sirius XM’s NBA Radio.
Herro, in Heat fashion, accepts that there is a bigger picture that the Heat are chasing after, and that is an NBA title and that he will take the role he is given, but he does want to prove that he can be the guy in the Heat’s starting rotation.
While Herro isn’t on the court when the ball tips off, he does average starter minutes and possibly has a bigger role in controlling the offense with the Heat’s second unit. The hard part about moving him into a starting role is losing a player that can create shots not only for himself but his teammates. Herro averaged a career-high in assists last year, and those assists were crucial to the Heat’s success with Butler off the court.
Is It a Heat Roster Problem?
Do the Heat have a roster that is best served with Herro on the bench and with the second unit? Absolutely. While Gabe Vincent had impressive moments last season, he does need some help facilitating among the second unit. While Max Struss has played strong, moving him to the second unit in place for Herro could cause a significant decline offensively.
Perhaps the team could switch Kyle Lowry to be a backup that plays starting minutes, but would he be open to that? He is one player that could help keep a facilitator and offensive weapon on the court at all times. However, do you want Herro as your primary ball handler starting games? It’s tough to say. Herro definitely deserves to be a starter, but is that best for him and the Heat?