Heat Face Major Decision: Is Tyler Herro Worth $149.7M Extension?
ESPN’s Bobby Marks shook the NBA world with his latest projection — a 3-year, $149.7 million extension for Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro. That’s just under $50 million per year, a figure that instantly sparked debate across Heat Nation.
Herro, 24, has proven he can be a reliable scorer and playmaker. He’s averaged over 20 points per game in each of the last two seasons, and his shot creation is a critical asset in Miami’s often-stagnant half-court offense. But is he worth superstar money?
That’s the dilemma for Pat Riley and the Heat front office. While Herro is young and still developing, injuries have been a consistent concern. He missed most of the 2023 playoff run and has yet to prove he can stay healthy through a full season and deep postseason push. Additionally, he has yet to establish himself as a true two-way player — a trait Riley often prioritizes.
Option 1: Pay Him Locking Herro into a max-level extension signals confidence in his growth and potential to become a future face of the franchise. With Jimmy Butler aging and the free-agent market thin, doubling down on Herro keeps a scoring weapon in-house.
Option 2: Trade Him With Herro’s value still high, Miami could use him as the centerpiece in a trade for a proven All-Star. If the Heat want to remain in title contention while Butler is still elite, moving Herro for someone like Donovan Mitchell, Brandon Ingram, or even a veteran like DeMar DeRozan could make more short-term sense.
It’s a defining offseason moment: build around Herro — or use him to chase a bigger star. The clock is ticking.
