After four seasons, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro might be on the move. The former Sixth Man of the Year has been thrown in trade rumors seemingly every summer, most recently in relation to Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
Lillard requested a trade from Portland in July and named the Heat his only desired destination. Herro’s trade value has been a hotly-debated discussion point, as has his appeal to the Blazers, a team already full of young, scoring-minded guards.
With that in mind, other teams are watching the Lillard saga as an opportunity to land a talented 23-year-old coming from consecutive 20 points-per-game seasons. Herro could use a fresh start, and here are the four teams that would benefit the most from having him:
1. Charlotte Hornets
After making the play-in tournament in 2021-22, the Hornets took a step back last season. All-Star guard LaMelo Ball has played in 36 games while forward Miles Bridges was sidelined due to a domestic violence accusation. Their supporting cast of Gordon Hayward, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier wasn’t enough to keep the team afloat and they won just 27 games last season.
The selection of Alabama’s Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick and the returns of Ball and Bridges should lead to a better season in Charlotte, but there are still obvious questions about the roster.
Finding a backcourt partner for Ball remains a priority. Rozier is entering his 30s, former lottery pick James Bouknight hasn’t shown much upside in two seasons, which led them to select Nick Smith Jr. at the end of the first round. But this team should try to be more competitive right now. That’s where Herro enters.
Adding a combo guard who can run some offense, space the floor and score 20 points per game next to Ball should be a no-brainer.
Possible trade:
Heat receives: Damian Lillard, Cody Martin
Trail Blazers receive: Gordon Hayward, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, 2026 (top-five protected) and 2028 (top-10 protected) first-round picks via CHA, 2028 and 2030 first-round picks via MIA
Hornets receive: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson
2. San Antonio Spurs
Regardless of how long it’ll take Victor Wembanyama to become the dominant player he’s expected to be, the Spurs should already be thinking about how to give him a better supporting cast. Adding Herro to that core can give the French phenom a sidekick to share some scoring responsibilities.
A squad featured with Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, Jeremi Sochan and other youngsters has good potential, but San Antonio could try to speed things during Gregg Popovich’s Hall of Fame career’s final years. Right now, wings Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson are the only ones looking ready to compete at a high level.
Vassell, a lottery pick in the 2020 draft, has been evolving since joining the league. Last season he picked up his shot volume (10.8 to 15.7 field goal attempts per game) while also increasing his efficiency (42.7% to 43.9% overall).
Combining Herro with the 3-and-D Vassell should at least intrigue the Spurs front office, and he’s young enough to age with the team’s current core.
Possible trade:
Heat receive: Damian Lillard, Devonte’ Graham
Spurs receive: Tyler Herro
Trail Blazers receive: Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Lowry, Doug McDermott, 2024 first-round pick from Spurs (top-six protected via TOR), 2025 first-round pick from Spurs (top-10 protected via CHI), 2028 and 2030 first-round picks via MIA
3. Orlando Magic
A few weeks ago, we listed the Magic as a dark horse on the list of teams that could facilitate a Lillard trade. It makes too much sense. The Magic need shooting and off-the-dribble playmaking — two things Herro can provide right away.
Unlike in San Antonio, Herro in Orlando could play off more ball-dominant players Markelle Fultz, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Herro could thrive as a secondary playmaker who knocks down clean looks created by his teammates.
Even with the addition of Banchero and the progression of Wagner and Fultz, Orlando had the fifth-worst offense in the league last season. Also, they were sixth-worst in 3-point percentage. Herro would help boost those rankings instantly.
Possible trade:
Heat receive: Damian Lillard, Jonathan Isaac, 2025 first-round pick from Orlando (via DEN)
Magic receive: Tyler Herro, Jusuf Nurkic
Trail Blazers receive: Kyle Lowry, Gary Harris, Chuma Okeke, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030 first-round picks via MIA
4. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are one of the first teams that comes to mind when you think about NBA purgatory. They are nowhere near contention, but aren’t building for the future either.
Chicago has the league’s 12th oldest roster (average age of 26.3) and there are still questions about their 25-and-unders: Patrick Williams (22), Dalen Terry (21), Coby White (23) and Ayo Dosunmu (23).
Perhaps it’s less of a question about if the Bulls will reset and more about when. And when that time comes, they’ll have to identify new franchise cornerstones on which to build. Herro could be one of those cornerstones.
The 23-year-old Herro is under contract for four more years, what would give the Bulls some time to reshape the roster while also giving him the chance to reach his All-Star potential.
Possible trade:
Heat receive: Zach LaVine
Bulls receive: Tyler Herro, Marcus Morris Sr., Jason Preston, 2027 and 2029 (lottery protected) first-round picks via MIA
Clippers receive: Duncan Robinson