Getty Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat warms up prior to Game Seven against the Boston Celtics inf the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at FTX Arena on May 29, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
After Nets superstar Kevin Durant changed his mind about requesting a trade out of Brooklyn, it seemed the Miami Heat would re-focus their attention on landing Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, whom the franchise has been actively trying to pursue for months.
While trade talks appeared to slow to a trickle, and it seemed the 25-year-old guard would at least start the season with the Jazz, on Thursday, September 1, the Cleveland Cavaleirs swooped in with the winning offer to snag Utah’s three-time All-Star.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that Mitchell was heading to Cleveland, news which sent shockwaves through the NBA. A few minutes later, The Athletic’s Shams Charania revealed exactly how much the Cavs gave up in order to snag Mitchell.
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Charania tweeted that Cleveland is “trading Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two pick swaps” to land Mitchell. In a follow-up tweet, Charania noted that Sexton, 23, a former first-round pick form the 2018 NBA Draft, would be “signing a four-year, $72 million contract via sign-and-trade to the Utah Jazz,” big money which is “fully guaranteed.”
While the sports world digested the blockbuster transaction, in particular Heat fans, the NBA’s 2022 Sixth Man of the Year, Tyler Herro, sent out a cryptic message on Twitter.
Herro tweeted, “Nahhh keep that same energy..”
Nahhh keep that same energy..
Herro, the centerpiece of every trade package the Heat could possibly offer, is likely relieved to see Miami lose out on the Mitchell sweepstakes. A few weeks ago, Herro broke his silence on the continuous rumored reports.
“I mean, every summer, that’s just what it is,” Herro told reporters while attending his foundation’s back-to-school shopping spree event at Dadeland Station in Miami. “I mean ever since I’ve been here, my name has been in rumors. So rumors, they don’t bother me. Whether I’m on the Heat or somewhere else, I’m getting ready for the season.”
Fans & Analysts Had Strongly Mixed Reactions to Herro’s Tweet
The reaction to Herro’s tweet and the timing of it received mixed reactions on Twitter. While some Heat fans expressed frustration that the Heat failed to bring Mitchell to Miami, others believe patience is key with Herro, and are happy to seem him stay.
“Bro acting like he wasn’t gonna be in the trade package LMFAOOO,” one man tweeted, while another person wrote, “I really don’t understand the backlash. He’s gotten better every year and I expect him to be better next year too. He has all star potential. How can fans think he’s good enough to get us Mitchell but also think he sucks? Makes no sense.”
Heat fans:
“Lol we don’t care about Mitchell we still have Tyler Herro”
Tyler herro breathed a sigh of relief and then tweeted keep the same energy lol
While numerous fans pointed out how the Kentucky alum struggled hard through the postseason, he averaged 12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 15 games during the 2022 playoffs, he finished the regular season with fantatstic stats, averaging 20.7 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 66 games while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 39.9% from beyond the arc.
Five Reasons Sports Network tweeted, “The Heat like Tyler Herro. He’s developed from a player being compared to Nik Stauskas on draft night to the Sixth Man of the Year in three seasons. He’s a success story. Time will tell if he can be one of the three best players on a consistent contender, in the playoffs.”
The Heat No Longer Have a Strong Reason to Delay Offering Herro a Major Extension
GettyTyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat dribbles against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Seven of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at FTX Arena on May 29, 2022.
Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman reported on July 27 that the Heat’s pursuit for a new superstar would not be over until guard Herro receives his max extension. “There is only one definitive way to both say and show they are done, to both say and show they are content, to both say and show an abiding belief in the tired saw of, ‘We have enough,'” Winderman wrote.
“That will be if and when they sign off on a contract extension with Tyler Herro.
Because at that point, based on their limited supply of tradable assets, is when they would be sending the ultimate signal, one with ultimate transparency.” Once Herro gets paid, he’ll basically become untradeable and the Heat can no longer make a competitive offer.
Following Mitchell’s trade to Cleveland, The Ringer’s Wed Goldberg tweeted, “Now extend Herro and let’s move on.”
As it stands, there doesn’t appear to be another high-caliber player available this offseason that the Heat will deem worth giving up the young up-and-comer. Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweeted on Thursday, “Heat can’t suddenly create another star who wants to be only here, as fans yearn for. Question now becomes whether to extend Herro by mid-Oct. deadline or keep alive hope of landing the next disgruntled star. Extending Herro makes trade almost impossible in next yr. A conundrum!”
Jackson also tweeted, “I would be surprised if Heat doesn’t extend Herro before deadline. They did it with Richardson, Winslow. They did it with Bam, even knowing it would keep them from having cap space for Giannis (who extended with Bucks anyway). But finding another star will be really, really hard.”
The Heat have until October 18 to offer Herro an extension, which could be worth up to $188 million over five years. If the Heat don’t make Herro an offer by the date, their former No. 13 overall pick from the 2019 NBA Draft will become a restricted free agent following the conclusion of the 2022-23 NBA season.
“While Herro is eligible for an extension up to five years at $188 million, he more likely is expected to fall into a similar range as the deal signed by Barrett.”
– Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman
According to Winderman, it seems likely that Herro’s extension will be closer to what the New York Knicks offered R.J. Barrett, a four-year deal expected to be worth up to $120 million.
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