Tyler Herro’s Injury Will Affect Miami Heat Rookie

A reigning All-Star, Herro’s injury is sure to send a ripple effect through the Heat’s roster, and that will certainly work its way down to the team’s newest rookie, Kasparas Jakucionis.

Taken just months ago at the 2025 NBA Draft, Jakucionis was one of the top sliders in the class. He was thought of to be a locked-in lottery pick, but slid on draft night, finding his way to the Heat at No. 20.

Despite that, the former Illinois one-and-done offers premier talent that Miami hasn’t seen in a draft pick in some time. Across 33 collegiate games, he starred, averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 44% overall.

He then parlayed his success into a hit-or-miss Summer League slate, where he still showed flashes of potential stardom. Across three games in Las Vegas, he averaged 15.0 points on 44% shooting, shooting 35% from beyond the arc.

Despite his fairly bulky guard frame and knack for play-making, Jakucionis is more a developmental lead guard project. He has skills that could help Miami next season, but was likely to be worked into the lineup slowly.

Now, with Herro sidelined, things could change.

The Heat didn’t have many point guard options, leading to their selection of Jakucionis in the first place. Herro handled the ball and initiated plenty of offense, though that wasn’t the most natural of spots for him. 

In terms of veterans, the team now looks to Terry Rozier and Davion Mitchell to step in, but again, neither are necessarily pass-first or long-term options. 

Jakucionis won’t be thrown into the starting lineup for his handling and passing, but he could very well be thrown into the fire — the rotation — sooner than expected. And that could have longer-term implications on the team's draft standing. That could serve to help him to a faster NBA start than anticipated, or highlight any number of potential negatives such as athleticism, shooting consistency and turnovers.

It doesn't seem as if Herro is expected to miss the entirety of the season, but his injury will surely cause changes throughout Miami's season.