The Tyler Herro trigger Miami must finally pull next season
With the 2022-2023 NBA season right around the corner, the Miami Heat have an important decision to make regarding their starting backcourt. On one hand, veteran Kyle Lowry is locked in as the starting point guard. On the other hand, who starts beside Lowry is anyone’s guess but the answer may lay with Tyler Herro.
Herro had a breakout season last season. He averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes per game. He also shot a career-high 44.7% from the field, including 39.9% from three.
Herro played 56 games off the bench for the Heat. His performance was notable enough to be awarded the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, which is an award given to the league’s best bench player. Interestingly enough, Herro’s numbers dipped a bit when he was inserted into the starting lineup.
Last season, Herro started 10 games and averaged 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He also shot 37.6% from the field and 30% from three.
Herro does so well off the bench due to not having to share the ball with Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo for long stretches. Herro is a ball-dominant player so he struggles a bit when relegated to an off-ball role.
The Heat may opt to start someone who is more comfortable playing off the ball and that is where Herro’s competition comes in.
Out of the four candidates to start alongside Lowry, Victor Oladipo is the wild card of the group. He is a two-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA player. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his career. When healthy, Oladipo has shown flashes of his former self and if he is even close to 100%, he automatically becomes the best option to insert into the starting lineup.
In Oladipo’s only start last season, he scored 40 points while shooting 59.1% from the field and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Besides injuries, the only issue with Oladipo’s fit in the starting lineup is his inconsistent shooting. He plays very similarly to Butler and Lowry which could reduce spacing and clog the paint. This problem is nullified if Oladipo comes off the bench and one of the other three candidates starts in his place.
Last season, Duncan Robinson was the main two-guard for most of the season. He started 68 games and averaged 10.9 points per game on 39.9% from the field, including 37.2% from three. Toward the end of the regular season, Robinson’s inconsistent play saw him get replaced in the starting lineup by Max Strus.
Strus started 16 games and averaged 16.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and 46.9% from three as a starter. His performance as a starter is in stark contrast to his performance coming off the bench. As a reserve, Strus averaged 8.9 points per game on 41.8% shooting from the field, including 38.1% from three-point range. He also started every game of the Heat’s playoff run.
Unfortunately for Strus, the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year is ready for a bigger role and a potential All-Star selection.
Herro is the Heat’s most consistent scorer. He is an ice-cold sniper with tremendous shot-making skills and emerging playmaking ability. The fact that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra trusts Herro to play crucial crunch-time minutes says a lot. He possesses an unrelenting swagger and an “It” factor that very few players possess.
Between his rapid developmental growth, looming contract extension, and declining trade rumors, Herro appears motivated and ready to go. So count on him to be starting alongside Lowry on opening night.
