With little more than a month remaining before the start of a new NBA season, the Miami Heat are in a weird position. After trading away star forward Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors, they have practically knocked themselves down a peg and are no longer a significant threat in the Eastern Conference.
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Perhaps the idea was to let Tyler Herro fill in after Butler’s departure, which helped them from rolling off the cliff. But despite the young star’s ascension as the main option, a few NBA insiders don’t believe the Heat will be eager to secure Herro under contract for the near future.
Herro has been an interesting player for the Miami Heat, to say the least. In his rookie season, showed glimpses of his ceiling in Miami’s 2020 NBA Finals run. In the 2021-22 season, he would win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t make much progress since until last season.
In what was the healthiest year of his career, Herro embraced an increased role with great joy. He went on to average 23.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game en route to his first All-Star appearance. He has been one of Miami’s only bright spots during this new era of uncertainty.
Unfortunately, the 6-foot-5 guard has two years remaining on his contract, meaning he will soon be eligible for an extension. Considering the situation, it would be a no-brainer in most cases, but Miami is in a unique spot according to a few NBA insiders.
“You look at their roster and it looks like they’re setting up for ’27,” Tim Bontemps said on The Hoop Collective. “I don’t think he’ll be getting extended.”
When examining the Heat’s roster, it’s clear they don’t stack up with the league’s best in the talent department. Unfortunately, that has been the case for the franchise since its 2023 NBA Finals appearance. Currently, the Heat are $44 million over the cap before a potential Herro extension.
The best interest of the team would be to maintain financial flexibility to hopefully lure another star to South Beach. Miami has paved the way for its payroll to clear substantially by 2027. That is exactly why Bontemps believes Herro won’t receive an extension. Superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Davis will be free agents in 2027.
Bontemps can only see one possibility that would result in Herro signing an extension with the Heat. “Barring him taking some huge discount to stay there. But I think short of that, he won’t be extending,” Bontemps said.
Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon didn’t push back on Bontemps’ claim. It’s a tough decision to pay Herro, since he will demand a lot of money. “You’re trying to decide whether or not to pay a guy who’s sub-superstar, right?” Windhorst said.
Heat executive Pat Riley has never been the type of person to make irrational free agent signings. After all, his inability to budge with the franchise’s greatest player, Dwyane Wade, led to the legendary guard leaving the team. The writing on the wall may already be there regarding Herro’s future with the team.
