As Tyler Herro prepares to make his return to the Miami Heat's lineup in the next couple of weeks, I'm not sure if fans understand where he's going to make his biggest impact on the team. Most believe that Herro's scoring punch is where he's going to contribute the most. However, it's Herro's playmaking, specifically with the bigs, that will make the biggest impact on the Heat's offense when he returns.
Especially when it comes to his chemistry with Bam Adebayo, I'm sure Herro's introduction back into the lineup will be a welcome sight for the All-Star big man. Even though he doesn't get the deserved recognition for his playmaking ability, Herro does have the potential to make life a lot easier for Bam.
When the game slows down in the halfcourt, that's when the Heat (and Bam) will feel the impact of Herro the most. Even further, Kel'el Ware will also likely see a bump in baskets around the rim with a player like Herro on the floor.
As he's matured as an offensive threat, Herro has become a better drive-and-dish player. While the Heat may have moved on from being a heavy pick-and-roll team, Herro will still find the ball in his hands with the need to create offense from time to time. His ability off the dribble will certainly be a huge asset for players like Bam and Ware, who aren't great shot creators on their own.
Adjustments are likely coming to the Heat offense
The idea of that ultimately leads to a bigger question that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will have to answer: how much will the team's pace and space offense change, if at all, when Herro returns?
It's a fair question to ask, especially since there's an argument to be made that one of Herro's best strengths on the offensive end of the floor is his creation off the pick-and-roll.
You'd imagine that the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. I don't think the Heat are going to totally shift their offense back to being pick-and-roll heavy when Herro returns, but you also can't assume there won't be more pick-and-roll opportunities for the All-Star guard, especially considering that he's a plus player in those instances.
But, truthfully, we probably won't know entirely until he finally makes his return.
The good news is that it does appear as if Herro is close. He's been doing more on the court work and is traveling with the team as they make the trip up to New York to take on the Knicks.