All is quiet on the Tyler Herro extension front, but with less than a week before the window closes, the two sides must come to a potentially franchise-altering decision quickly. At this point, it's almost impossible to predict how the next few days will play out for Herro and the Miami Heat.
One thing is clear, one way or another, and it's that this will prove to be a huge decision that will shape the futures of both the All-Star guard and the Heat.
Herro and the Heat have until October 20 to agree to an early contract extension. Herro is currently eligible for a three-year, $150 million extension now. If he and the Heat aren't able to reach an agreement before October 20, Herro will officially have to wait until next summer to strike an extension on his deal.
Will the Heat want to lock up Tyler Herro now?
While there has been talk that the Heat and Herro could kick this theoretical can down the road, it could behoove both sides to get an extension done now.
However, even if both Herro and the Heat wanted to go down that route, it doesn't appear as if there's a clear path that would appease both sides. Or, at least, it's hard to imagine one coming to fruition.
You'd imagine that Herro would likely be asking for the full max extension, or at least something awfully close to it. The Heat, because of their uncertain future, simply aren't in a position where they can just match that ask.
And if Miami were to do that, it would almost certainly lock them into mediocrity because of the salary cap. The Heat wouldn't be able to significantly upgrade th roster beyond Herro and Bam Adebayo, more than they already have, and we know how limited a ceiling this team currently has.
That's the dilemma that the Heat find themselves in. In theory, letting this season play out may be in the best interest of the Heat's future. At the same time, they're also risking that Herro could leave in free agency after this season.
At this point, there's a level of risk that the Heat is almost certainly going to have to take. The question is, would they rather risk losing Herro or risk overpaying him?
Neither seems like a great scenario for the Heat, and it's what they must work through over these next few days. No matter what the Heat decides, there's no question that this decision, one way or another, is going to have a huge impact on this team's future. And the clock is ticking.