Tyler Herro Opens Up On Trade Talk & His Place With The Heat

While Damian Lillard was the most talked about NBA player this past season in the leadup to his eventual trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, Tyler Herro might have been the second-most mentioned. He was the player that Lillard's preferred team, the Miami Heat, would likely be sending out in any Lillard trade, whether to Portland or somewhere else. 

It seemed to get Herro flustered, to the point that he removed "Miami Heat guard" from his social media bio. Now he's coming clean about it all, opening up in an interview with nba.com about what it felt like hearing his name in the rumors on a daily basis.

Mentally I just want to be where I’m wanted, where they want me and believe in me and they trust me at the end of the day. I feel like the Heat still trust me and believe in me and all of that. I’m happy I’m here. At the end of the day it’s a business and I try to keep that in perspective at the same time because I’m in the NBA making millions of dollars and setting my family up for the rest of their lives, too. This is where I want to be so that’s why maybe I felt a little disappointed in some way, but I understand the business at the same time.

Sounds like a pretty mature and commendable attitude.  

But what about hearing things like one team valued him a certain way but another team didn't (it was rumored that the Trail Blazers weren't interested in receiving Herro in a Lillard trade)?

His answer, bottom line: he feels like he's much more valuable — to the Heat or any other team — than he was given credit for. 

It’s funny, but everyone has their opinion. The only people that really know are the ones in the front offices making the trades and ultimately deciding whose value is what. I feel like I’m pretty damn valuable. I don’t know. I feel like I’m valuable as hell. At the end of the day, I’m going to show that this season and hopefully by the end of the season I’m going to be in the same boat as Bam (Adebayo).

Let's not forget, Herro was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2022, and last year became a starter in just his 4th season. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and a league-best 93.4% from the free throw line. 

There's no doubt about his value, whether in Miami, or elsewhere around the league. It should be intriguing to follow the next phase of Herro's Heat journey.

Photo: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports