Why Tyler Herro can’t be Heat’s leading star.
After Jimmy Butler forced his way off of the Miami Heat earlier this season, Tyler Herro was thrust into a starring role. The 2022 Sixth Man of the Year quickly became the primary scoring option for Erik Spoelstra’s team.
Herro handled the additional responsibility well. He averaged a career high 23.9 points along with 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 37.5 percent shooting from deep. Furthermore, the larger role also helped Herro earn his first All-Star appearance.
During a recent news conference, Pat Riley praised Herro’s growth and importance to the Heat organization.
“He’s 25 years old, he’s coming off an All-Star year, and he was voted in by the coaches,” Riley said. “That means something, and so he’s pivotal for us as an offensive player. We just need more around him that can do a little bit of what he does, because now he’s getting beat up, he’s getting schemed, overly schemed, and so we’ll learn a lot about that. So you know, Tyler is a player, and I hope he can stay here the rest of his career, and then we can build the team that he’s part of.
It’s logical to view Herro as a long-term piece of the Heat’s puzzle. He’s incredibly gifted as an offensive player. However, as we saw this year, he cannot be a team’s star player or primary offensive weapon.
Herro is better served as a secondary or tertiary star. His playmaking and shot-making are ideal for taking the pressure off a leading talent. He’s a Robin, not a Batman.
Moreover, if the Heat choose to rebuild, Herro is too good to let them be a bottom-dwelling team. He’s right in that sweet spot, where he’s not a star, but is good enough to keep a team respectable.
Miami must land a new leading star if it plans to keep Herro around. Only then can we see the best from him and allow him to continue developing his game. Otherwise, Riley might need to consider trading him while his value is at an all-time high.
