The clock is ticking, and the Miami Heat don't have much more time to figure out what they plan to do with Tyler Herro. As we continue to wait for their decision, there could be one other move that the team could make that would all but crush Herro's dream of signing a long-term extension in October.
And that's if the Heat moves to sign Norman Powell to a contract extension. It's been rumored that it could be on the table for the team, and perhaps more of a reality once the season begins in October. To be perfectly honest, I don't see a world where the Heat signs both Herro and Powell to contract extensions.
That means there's at least a solid chance that the Heat will spend the next few weeks either deciding whether they should extend either Herro and Powell, or lay the groundwork for picking one over the other.
The Tyler Herro conundrum
In theory, you'd think that the Heat would lean toward extending Herro. He's their homegrown star and has certainly made big strides in the development of his game over the last few years. However, there's one big problem. Now that he's made the leap toward an All-Star player, he could be in line for a huge payday.
On October 1, Herro becomes eligible for a contract extension worth up to three years, $150 million. That doesn't mean Herro is going to demand the full max extension, but it's certainly something that his camp could end up asking for.
And honestly, the Heat can't afford to pay him anything close to that max extension, especially if they still have plans of targeting another superstar in the near future. And for as much as Herro has grown his game over the last few seasons, he's not worth that type of money in today's market.
Herro is a very good player, but he isn't at a level where he can lead the Heat to where they want to be as a franchise, and that's perfectly fine. But the last thing Miami needs to do is to pay him like a superstar when he isn't.
That's the big problem that could prevent the Heat from quickly giving Herro the extension he may be seeking.
I'm not sure if the right alternative is for Miami to give a contract extension to Powell instead, and to possibly explore trading Herro. At the same time, it could be part of the solution for the Heat's financial issues.
The Heat's front office has some big decisions to make over the next two months, and they will greatly impact the immediate future of this franchise. While there may not be much that we're sure of at the moment, if Powell does get an extension before Herro, it could absolutely crush his future with the team.