Heat weigh future with Tyler Herro amid extension decision

As relayed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Heat hit training camp in a unique spot with Tyler Herro, both in terms of his contract and his availability.

Herro delivered last season, playing a career-high 77 games and averaging at least 20 points for the fourth straight year. He shot a personal-best 47.2 percent from the field and handed out a career-high 5.5 assists per game.

That type of production puts him in line for a long-term deal.

Beginning Oct. 1, Herro becomes eligible for a three-year, $149.7 million extension, with the first year starting at $46.2 million in 2027–28, or roughly $6 million below the max.

If no agreement is reached, both sides could negotiate again next summer on a four-year deal worth up to $207 million.

“Pay me now or pay me later, whatever it is,” team president Pat Riley said after the season. “We’ve already talked about it. I talked about it with Tyler, and so we’ll see what happens as we plan. The numbers are getting pretty big for a lot of guys. Max salaries in this league, who do they go to? …

“But Tyler definitely is deserving of the thought of an extension. But are we going to do it? We haven’t committed to it, but we’re going to discuss it and I’ve already talked to him about it. He’s cool.”

Any decision comes with risk. Herro underwent surgery on his left ankle and is expected to miss the start of the regular season, leaving Miami’s offense with an early-season hole to fill.

They traded for Norman Powell in the offseason, but still struggled badly without Herro last year — minus-8.6 points per 100 possessions with him off the floor, a 12–21 record after the Jimmy Butler trade, bottom-10 offensive efficiency, and 14–26 in clutch games (3–12 after the trade).

Miami also lost a league-high nine games when leading by at least 15 points.

Dates to watch include Oct. 20, the deadline to extend Herro and Nikola Jovic, and Oct. 22, when Pelle Larsson’s salary protection increases to the full amount.

Extension candidates, per Marks, are Jovic, Powell, Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Terry Rozier.

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