The Miami Heat may have stolen the recent headlines by pulling off an outstanding trade for Norman Powell, but the potential move that could be on the horizon for the team could be the even bigger story. After the move for Powell, the Heat could be one step closer to a potential trade of Tyler Herro.
Even though I still wouldn't call the Heat trading Herro likely, it's certainly a possibility, and perhaps even a greater one, after the team acquired Powell.
Herro is eligible for a huge contract extension (worth up to three years, $150 million) on October 1. As a player who will probably be looking for max money, giving that amount of money to Herro would handcuff the Heat from making other big moves in the future.
With Bam Adebayo already set to make max money over the next few years, the Heat can't seemingly extend Herro to that contract with the hopes of landing another star player. It just doesn't work. For the Heat, it's time to make a grown-up decision.
And with just one year remaining on his contract after this upcoming season, the Heat doesn't have a ton of time to figure out what lies ahead. Theoretically speaking, if Miami doesn't plan on signing Herro to an extension, trading him this offseason would make the most sense. That's why there's an urgency from the fans for the front office to make a decision one way or another.
Why Herro could be on the move
Theoretically speaking, if the Heat were lining up a potential trade of Herro, or even thinking about it, they would do exactly what they did in the move to add Powell. With this trade, the Heat acquire a guard who could fill in a potential void left by Herro. Considering Powell is also a player who is in line for a contract extension, the Heat will seemingly have to choose between Herro and Powell.
On paper, that may seem easy. Herro is young, he's better, and may have a slightly higher ceiling. However, there's a huge difference between paying Herro $50 million vs. paying Powell $25 million. One path allows the Heat to explore the option of adding another high-salary player. The other would lock the Heat with their current core.
Herro is a good player, but he's not a fit in Miami
Considering their current core was just good enough to snag the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, it's clear what the Heat needs to do next.
The unfortunate part of all this is that this sounds like a knock on Herro. And it's not. Herro is a very good player. He was a deserving All-Star this past season, and could be one again this season. But he's not a legitimate No. 1 option on a championship-contending team. And that's OK.
But with Bam already on a max contract, the Heat can't afford to give another max extension to a player who isn't a lead star. Miami already has its elite supporting piece in Bam. Herro just doesn't fit what the Heat needs right now.
Maybe the Heat have a distorted perception of what Herro is or what he can be in the future, but, at this point, he's probably at his ceiling. And, don't get me wrong, it's certainly impressive. But for a franchise that prides itself on championship-or-bust, the Heat would be "settling" if they gave Herro a huge extension.
With the moves that they've made this summer, it does seem like Miami is gearing toward something big in 2026. If that's the plan, I can't envision a scenario where Herro falls into that at all.