If the Miami Heat don't love the idea of paying Tyler Herro close to $50 million per season over the next three years, his perfect replacement could be one bold move away. With the rumors surrounding his future, Cam Thomas could emerge as an intriguing potential replacement for Herro on the Heat.
Herro officially becomes extension-eligible on October 1. He's likely to ask for the max extension (three years, $150 million), and it would be shocking if he and the Heat settled at anything less. But there's a problem with that.
The Heat's Tyler Herro conundrum
If the Heat has any hopes of landing - or even genuinely pursuing - another superstar in the near future, that would be relatively impossible if they were to give Herro this rich extension. There's no world in which the Heat can be paying Bam Adebayo and Herro max money, while also successfully pursuing another superstar player.
The era of Big 3s in that manner is almost completely gone in the modern NBA.
In essence, assuming the Heat can't negotiate down with Herro, Miami must decide between a huge Herro extension or going down the path of pursuing another superstar in the future. In this NBA economy, the two can't really coexist.
Cam Thomas can be a cost-effective replacement
But that's where a player like Thomas could make sense as a potential Herro replacement. Even though I wouldn't say Thomas is at the same level as Herro at this point in his career, they are somewhat similar when it comes to scoring the basketball.
Thomas may not be the playmaker that Herro is right now, but he's the type of offensive spark that every team would love to have off the bench or in a calculated starting role. When it comes to scouring the league for a player who can replace Herro's offensive presence, Thomas comes really close.
For context, Herro averaged 24 points on 47 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. In comparison, Thomas averaged 24 points on 44 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from deep.
Sure, the two had very different roles in very different situations, but the natural comparisons are there.
Thomas is also a couple of years younger, and his contract extension will be cheaper. As he has his own gripes with the Brooklyn Nets about his future, there's a growing belief that he could end up taking the qualifying offer this season and hit unrestricted free agency next summer - the same time Herro could also be entering unrestricted free agency (if he and the Heat can't agree to an extension during the October window).
Could there be some sort of sign-and-trade between the Nets and Heat right now? Absolutely. However, I'd be shocked if the Heat decided to trade Herro before the start of the season.
Nevertheless, if the Heat does end up exploring the idea of replacing Herro with a cheaper, yet similar, player so theyn still find a path toward another superstar in the future, Thomas is one offensive wizard who could fit the mold of what Miami could be looking for.