You’d probably receive a wide variety of responses if you conducted an informal survey of those in and around the NBA on their opinions of Tyler Herro.
While some see the former Sixth Man of the Year as a future All-Star, others focus on his defensive flaws and ignore his offensive prowess. Herro is a scorer who most teams could use, according to some, while others dispute his fit. The Heat’s run in the Finals was inspired by Herro’s absence, or did they miss him after he fractured his hand in the opening game of the playoffs?
The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle, like most things. Herro is a skilled scorer who, over the previous two seasons, has effectively averaged 20 points, but he is also a mediocre athlete and facilitator.
Last summer, ESPN’s Zach Lowe stated that Herro is “possibly the most divisive high-wattage player in the NBA.” When his worth is questioned as a component of a trade for Damian Lillard, this becomes even more apparent.
Herro’s relationship with the organization will be put to the test if he is not included in a deal for Lillard, which is to be determined. Herro deleted references to the Heat from his social media profiles after being the target of trade rumors for the second consecutive summer.
Nobody questions Herro’s ability to attend training camp and perform his job, but the Heat’s success depends on its players going above and beyond the call of duty. 10% harder game. Will Herro be motivated to perform 10% better for a team he might think is attempting to trade him?
Herro has developed progress as a pick-and-roll ball handler, all-around scorer, and defensive player since making his debut as a rookie in the 2020 playoffs in the Bubble.
The Heat appear to be unable to decide whether to use Herro as a primary facilitator or as an off-ball shooting threat. When Herro has the ball, there are games where he repeatedly runs high pick-and-roll with Bam Adebayo. Other times, he plays off Kyle Lowry or Jimmy Butler and moves around aimlessly in search of an opening. Is Herro more comparable to Klay Thompson or Trae Young?
Herro and the Heat will have to work hard to determine whether he is still on the roster.