1 Reason for, 1 against Tyler Herro coming off the Heat bench

Media day always brings the first wave of optimism heading into a new season, and this year had plenty to be excited about from the Miami Heat.

From Jimmy Butler’s locked-in approach to seeing guys ready for a redemption season, there is a lot to look forward to. Part of that redemption comes from the play of Tyler Herro, who struggled through another injury-plagued season. 

His availability issues made it tough for such a key player to build consistency as a group, especially after the Terry Rozier acquisition. A big headline over the last couple of years surrounding Herro has been his role with the Heat. Ever since winning Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago, Herro has been promoted to the starting lineup. 

However, that role hasn’t come with recent team-wide success, prompting calls to send Herro back to the bench. He's bristled at the notion of returning to his sixth man role in the past but, on media day, it looked like Herro would be open to other possibilities.

Herro’s talent is crucial to the team, especially on the offensive end. His ability as a three-level scorer and playmaker boasts a team that ranked near the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency rating. But there are reasons to justify Herro starting and coming off the bench.

Why Herro should come off the bench

The last time Herro was a regular bench player, he ran away with the Sixth Man of the Year award. More importantly, it was also the season that Miami secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Not only did Herro excel in this role before, but the stats show the team was more successful too.

The Heat are 93-49 in games that Herro has come off the bench for his career. Miami's record slips to around .500 when he's starting, including the team's play-in status over the last two seasons.

Also, fit may be a question now more than ever. Acquiring Rozier adds a bit of redundancy to the team’s starting backcourt. Both are elite offensive players, but they have defensive flaws. Separating that duo could provide some balance to coach Erik Spoelstra’s lineups.

Why Herro should start

Last season, Herro played well as a starter, averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. As a 24-year-old still looking to progress and become an All-Star caliber talent, a demotion would take him backward. Herro has started for two seasons, and more experience in that role will help him reach his maximum potential.

There hasn't been enough of a sample size to truly gauge the success of the Heat's core four -- Herro, Rozier, Butler and Bam Adebayo -- in the starting unit. The Heat were one of the top teams in defensive efficiency last season but one of the worst on offense. Going with this core could help maximize the team's offensive abilities and provide a more top-heavy unit to go up against powerhouse teams like the reigning champion Boston Celtics.

It seems like Spoelstra is looking forward to seeing more of that group together, so Herro's time as a starter likely won't come to an end any time soon.