Kofi Inkoom
In a recent episode of The Zach Lowe podcast, the experienced journalist and NBA insider delved into the Miami Heat’s current outlook as they approach the upcoming regular season.
In the conversation featuring ESPN’s Tim Bomtemps, the central focus was on Tyler Herro’s situation with the Heat during the offseason.
Herro, 23, found himself in a state of uncertainty throughout most of the offseason due to persistent trade rumors.
Interestingly, it has been revealed that the Miami Heat did indeed consider Herro’s value when contemplating the possibility of acquiring Bradley Beal in a trade, as per by NBA insider Zach Lowe.
“They didn’t really go for Bradley Beal,” said NBA insider Zach Lowe. “I think that was a vote of confidence in Tyler Herro. I think, from what I heard, the Heat looked at that situation and said, ‘We don’t think Bradley Beal, who’s…seven years older than Tyler Herro, is $30 million better than Tyler Herro going forward. We just don’t think the upgrade is worth it.’”
Early in the offseason, the Miami Heat were rumored to be interested in Bradley Beal, but ultimately, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns by the Washington Wizards.
Shortly after that, Damian Lillard expressed his desire to be traded from the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Heat began their pursuit of the star point guard, with Tyler Herro reportedly being a key component of their trade offers.
However, the Heat’s attempt to acquire Lillard didn’t materialize, as he was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that also involved the Suns.
Throughout much of the offseason, Miami was seen as the likely destination for Lillard, and it was expected that Herro would be part of a deal to another team.
But the situation took a different turn, and now Tyler Herro, the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, is expected to play a significant role as he enters the first season of a four-year contract extension worth an average of $30 million per year.
In comparison, the 30-year-old Beal is set to earn nearly $52 million per year over the next four seasons if he opts for the 2026-27 player option.
Tyler Herro is coming off a season where he averaged 20.1 points per game. However, his playoff journey with the Miami Heat was cut short due to a hand injury suffered in the first game.
Despite this setback, the Heat managed to make it to the 2023 NBA Finals, though they ended up losing to the Denver Nuggets.
Miami’s aim now is to make a playoff comeback and uphold their status as the reigning Eastern Conference champions, all while remaining vigilant for the next star player who might request a trade.