The summer of 2023 was the closest we’ve come to an actual Tyler Herro trade happening, as the Miami Heat went through intense negotiations with the Portland Trail Blazers for star lead guard Damian Lillard.
For Miami, trying to pull off such a deal had more to do with wanting Lillard, coming off a spectacular 3rd Team All-NBA, 32.2-point-per-game campaign, rather than just wanting to offload Herro. After all, the Heat have always held the former Kentucky standout in high regard, higher even than portions of the fanbase that had grown frustrated with his lack of defense, streaky scoring and availability – or lack thereof.
Eventually, as history has it, the trade fell through as Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and Herro remained with Miami. Fans in South Florida felt a sense of disappointment with how the whole Lillard saga with Portland went, and if fans were frustrated, Heat brass probably felt even more indignation about how the ordeal eventually culminated.
But thus far in 2024-25, the Heat may feel some sense of relief that the trade didn’t happen, as Herro is making a charge at the first All-Star bid of his career, with the 24-year-old looking to have hit a higher level in his game.