The Miami Heat have been without guard Tyler Herro since Game 1 of the playoffs, but the team has managed to go 7-3 without him.
Could that ultimately make the 23-year-old shooting guard expendable?
A first-round pick out of Kentucky in 2019, the Heat selected Herro 13th overall and over the years he made his way into the starting lineup after becoming an effective sixth man, starting a career-high 67 games this season. Just as he started to roll in the first game of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks, he broke his hand and hasn’t played since.
Herro scored 12 points in 19 minutes of action against the Bucks, going 2-of-4 from downtown before he injured his hand diving out of bounds while going after a loose ball. The young sharpshooter has shown improvement in each of his four seasons, which has some analysts calling him an ideal trade target.
Analyst Believes Tyler Herro Is ‘Dream Trade Target’ for Utah Jazz
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report chose a “dream trade target” for each NBA squad and he thinks Herro would be the ultimate acquisition for the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz finished with a 37-45 record this past season, barely missing the play-in tournament and with young talent like 25-year-old All-Star Lauri Markkanen and second-year big Walker Kessler, adding another talent with room to grow could put Utah back in the postseason.
“The Jazz shouldn’t be thinking too far ahead. They need upside, sure, but they need it from someone who can play a prominent role right now and raise his game going forward,” Buckley wrote on May 10.
“Tyler Herro fits that label like a tailored suit,” Buckley added. “The 23-year-old just capped consecutive campaigns with 20-plus points and four-plus assists, yet it’s possible he is nowhere near as good as he can get. Utah has the time to bet on his development and see how it plays out. The Miami Heat, meanwhile, may not have the same luxury with 33-year-old Jimmy Butler feeling the time crunch of his championship window.”
Herro Has Been the Subject of Trade Rumors for Past Few Seasons
Trade rumors began to swirl around Herro even before he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year following the 2021-2022 season. He had a breakout of sorts that year, averaging 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes a game, shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc (stats via ESPN).
In his first year as a full-time starter during the 2023-23 season, Herro scored 20.1 points a game while also notching career-highs in rebounds (5.4), assists (4.2) and free-throw percentage (an NBA-best 93.4%). Those steady and marked improvements over multiple areas of his game have made Herro a potentially attractive trade chip for the Heat because they could likely get a few solid players and/or draft picks in exchange.
Miami’s senior VP and general manager Andy Elisburg and company have yet to move Herro, though, and that’s very likely because the team wants to benefit from the growth he displays.
If the Heat continue to advance without Herro, though, it’s possible they dangle him on the trade market to see what they could get. Miami has the 18th overall pick in what is considered to be a talent-laden draft, and upgrading the roster around Jimmy Butler is a definite possibility. Stay tuned.
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Tyler Herro Named ‘Dream’ Trade Target for Budding Western Conference Squad