After an impressive preseason, Heat guard Tyler Herro has given the team a reason to be optimistic entering the 2021/22 season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.
Herro poured in more than 25 points in three of his five outings, scoring from all three levels. The 21-year-old is coming off a campaign where he averaged 15.1 points, five rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He’s expected to be the team’s sixth man this season.
“I mean it feels good, a lot of hard work this offseason,” Herro said. “We’ve got a great group of guys, just feeding life into me, really putting me in positions to be successful, whether it’s the coaching staff or the players around me. So just continuing to work and one day at a time.”
There’s more out of Miami tonight:
- Every player on the Heat is fully vaccinated, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “We’re a fully vaccinated team, so we can do different things than last year,” Herro said when asked about the first preseason road trip. “It was a little different. Getting on the road was really good for us. Just being on the road and experiencing that for the first time together was good.”
- Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald examines how filling both two-way spots impacted the team’s Exhibit 10 players. Miami waived Javonte Smart, Dru Smith, Micah Potter and D.J. Stewart on Friday, which was procedural since Caleb Martin and Marcus Garrett already occupy the club’s two-way spots.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat might’ve moved too quickly with its current roster. Miami is looking to contend again this season — just one calendar year removed from reaching the NBA Finals.
I think he could average 17 points. Lowry will average 17, PJ 6. So of the remaining 28 point void left by Dragic and Nunn, Oladipo or Herro stand to pick up the remainder.
Oladipo will probably get injured and Nunn plays for the Lakers lol. Dragic plays for the Raptors.
I misread lol my bad
I think Dragic and Nunn leaving are offset by get Lowry, Herro developing and the additions at PF with Tucker and Morris.
On paper the heat also are one of the best defensive teams, Lowry can hold his own, Oladipo if fit is a beast, Butler is obviously tough, Tucker and Adebayo. They could also play big and throw in Morris who is a good defender, have Tucker at the 3 and Butler at the 2.
However the only thing I personally don’t like is the depth. You’d have a good strong top 8 with Lowry Robinson Herro Oladipo Butler Tucker Morris and Adebayo. Oladipo has big question marks with his health.
Then you have a considerable drop off in talent to a bunch of guys not many people know. Which is exactly a bad thing but these guys will lack experience and might not be ready to contend.
I don’t understand why they didn’t just get a couple guys on the vets minimum like a Isiah Thomas, Avery Bradley (both of who are still available) or a DeAndre Jordan.
Bradley in particular played with the heat last season for abit, averaged 8.5-2-2 shooting 47/42/78. Apparently the heat looked into Thomas aswell, he would’ve provided some offensive spark off the bench like a Nunn.
Jordan would’ve been a perfect back up behind Adebayo and would’ve fit in well with Butler and Lowry.
None of the guys you mentioned would have made sense for this roster. I personally wish they added a better option with size at the 4 than Morris, who is just a rebounder and is more of a small ball 5 against certain matchups. I prefer Okpala over him at the 4, so even if they didnt get someone else (which they definitely should have), that spot could have been used on an option on the wing/combo guard or for Caleb Martin, or 1 of the young guys they had to let go, or 1 of the guys they just cut for the Skyforce/someone else that just got cut by dumb teams…Also, not that I have any problems with him, but Gabe Vincent being outright resigned was questionable, with other flexibility they could have had with that spot and options as combo guards they could have kept or gone after instead. Then finally, while I like Yurtseven, you could argue the floor spacing big they need could have been 1 of the veteran/more known options that were available/still might be available.
They’re relying hard on Lowry, Butler, and Bam all sbeing healthy, and Oladipo coming back well enough to guard the way he is capable of, be a playmaker, and be adequately efficient without effecting their spacing. That’s why I think they could be anywhere in the 3-9 spots, and have them probably in that 6-8 spot, unless other teams have injuries, or they win a lot of close games/stay healthy themselves all year somehow…or PJ Tucker and/or Markieff Morris shoot the ball as well as, if not better than they ever have, which I’m not holding my breath on, or Butler and/or Bam knock down more outside shots, and maybe also if Herro at least somewhat improves defensively
I disagree….. Like I said they have a strong front 8 and that’s with Oladipo…
After that you have a bunch of unknowns to the most of us which could or couldn’t work out.
Okpala has played a total of 42 games and averages 2.4 point per game and shooting marks of 39/23/53.
Stus 41 games, 6 points per game.
Vincent 59 games 5 points, shooting at 36/30/87.
Yurtseven no games in the NBA.
Haslem has played 15 games in the past 3 seasons, he’s got getting minutes.
Then you have Martin and Garrett on two way deals.
Avery Bradley as someone who played in Miami last season and did alright, would’ve been great as a back up SG/PG especially with Oladipo out.
Jordan who always looked set to join the Lakers in fairness would’ve been perfect as as a back up for Adebayo and would’ve fitted well in the locker room. However I don’t mind Dedmon as a back up.
They could also look into Jeff Teague, Wesley Mathews, Glen Robinson, James Ennis and so on, all would’ve been better fits for this team. They have experience, not just at the NBA level but in the playoffs aswell.
I think Miami should be aiming for 3-6 in the east and particularly that 4th spot and home advantage. However your going to need more depth and with the team they currently have I see them being more of a 6th seed
I could agree about a backup 2 way guard, as I mentioned it myself, but I think they needed a similar/slightly different skillset, and someone better, which was, and actually still is available.
DeAndre jordan happened only a couple of weeks ago, and was a bad decision by the Lakers, and would not fit on this roster with limited space being available, and them not having a 15th man
Okpala was able to get minutes in matchups last season and look good when used correctly, including against Milwaukee in a big game at the end of the regular season (which made him and Achiuwa, or Bjelica not being used against them in the playoffs make even less sense)…He has shown improvement putting the ball on the floor, and shooting from the corner and catch and shooting, and has size and can defend multiple positions, especially with size at that 4 spot having been a weakness for multiple years, which is why they brought in Morris and PJ Tucker. As I said, I would have preferred a more known option, but not if that option was Morris, which is why I said I would take Okpala over him at that spot. Morris is useful as a small ball 5 though, which Okpala probably cant do
Strus should be fine around their defenders, but they need to make sure to use him in the right matchups and lineups
Vincent can adequately defend the guard spots, and has shown the ability to shoot the 3, but has also been inconsistent with those things. I do actually like him, but I wouldnt have been confident signing him outright, over a couple of their summer league guys they lost/had, and other options that were/still are available, and also in consideration with how that also effected the use of their 2 way spots, giving them the need to use them at the positions they did, instead of having pieces like that on the regular roster, and being more flexible with those 2 way spots and shat positions they could use to fill those
Caleb Martin being released by Charlotte was unexpected, and was a really gold get for them, especially on a 2 way deal, and I think he should be in the rotation…Marcus Garrett is a monster defensively, and has significantly improved his handle since the start of summer league. I hope he gets opportunities in the rotation as well, or at least in certain matchups
Yurtseven should be the floor spacing big they need, and be more of a primary rotation option than Dedmond, but I wish they got a more known there
I 100% agree on Wesley Matthews
So I did argue about depth, but specifically at those positions
I just think overall between these guys is to much of a not enough factor. None of them have experience, none are very reliable and they show flashes which isn’t good enough for a contender. They don’t shoot particularly well.
I think in terms of depth they are probably the weakest in the whole league. I think their main starting 5 will be Lowry Robinson Butler Tucker Adebayo with Herro and Morris being the two main options off the bench, obviously Oladipo once he returns get a spot somewhere too.
I love the 5 but off the bench I would’ve liked Bradley, he could work with Herro in the backcourt. Offers some defence and shooting and experience for him to lean on. Herro predominantly played off the bench with Dragic and will need to have some experience around him to help.
If not Bradley, Mathews who is more of a 2 could work, he’s even better defensively and a better catch and shoot player. He also could spend minutes at the 3 and would make sense with Oladipo out.
Now as for the bigs, I like Morris, Dedmon is alright and Yurtseven is intriguing. That’s enough cover for the 5 spot, but they are lite at PF which you have said. Okpala will likely get some minutes there which helps but he’s not ready to contribute every night and be consistent. So I think they also should’ve looked into someone here
Lowry, Robinson, Butler, Tucker, Bam
Herro, Martin, Yurtseven, Strus, Garrett
Okpala/Morris depending on matchup, possibly instead of Strus, or next to Strus instead of Martin/Garrett
Vincent depending on matchup
Dedmond/UD instead of Yurtseven or Morris depending on matchup
Oladipo coming back should make it interesting. I could see Strus being more important for spacing purposes in a few different lineups, at the 4, 3, and 2 positions, especially if Yurtseven goes cold shooting the ball, or is an issue defensively, where they need to use Dedmond or Morris more at that backup 5 spot
Lowry makes Herro way better, in my opinion, as Herro hasnt had a guard that could defend and playmake like Lowry around him before. Lowry also allows them to potentially use all of their shooters in some lineups, which should be interesting to see.
Martin can play anywhere from the 3 to either guard spot, and is a hard nosed defender and active. Garrett plays any of those 3 positions as well, and is a monster defensively, as I mentioned.
Again, personally I would have preferred a better option than Morris at the 4, a more known commodity as the floor spacing big, and at least another wing player, or preferably someone that could give them help at that position, as well as at the guard spots. They had guys in summer league/training camp that could have been good fits, and there were, and still are several remaining options there as well. That’s something g I talked about all offseason, and then when it became clear they wouldn’t sign a 15th guy, I mentioned it even more. They needed 2 pieces on the wing (which is why I agreed on Wes Matthews as an option), but Martin helps with that, and Garrett can give them some help there, and also as a multi positional option at guard like I was saying…but they needed a more established or known piece there, even a couple of guys that havent really shown that much yet, but still more than nothing. And as I alluded to with the previous comments, I still wish they could have at least kept Dejon Jarreau
So with all that being said, they’re relying on health, like I previously mentioned, and they’re relying on potential trades/more likely a buyout or late season pickup after the 50 game mark for that 15th roster spot, and I feel like they could have had more certainty with 1-2 extra or slightly different moves
So your second string 5 has yurtseven with zero games experience coming from the g league and both Martin and Garrett on two way deals not even full contracts….. sure. Let’s just agree to disagree
Ya…b/c those are the skillsets that make sense together…which is why I said they needed to do more…and also, you missed the matchup part where I mention where Dedmon, Morris, Okpala, or Vincent would play instead of, or after those others. Matchups is how you win in the NBA, so you change your rotation based on those matchups. If you dont know what players can do, that would obviously drive your opinion. I’m not saying this is what will happen. It’s just what should happen, based on what they need
Is this seriously how people think basketball works? That if you lose a player scoring x points per game your team loses that per game? lol… it really didn’t occur to you other players will take those shots? The heat will score 110-120 points a game without trying hard and still be one of, if not the best defense in the NBA this season
A different player can take a shot. Actually making the shot is different story altogether. Since they averaged 108 points last, good for 25th in the league, they have there work cut out for them.
Oladipo is not an efficient scorer, and their defense will slow the pace. It stands to reason they’ll end up scoring a similar amount of points per game as last year, it just depends on where those shots get allocated. The Heat have scored over 110 per game 1 time in their entire history.
And if they do only put up the same amount of points per game, obviously you’ll have some guys contributing that aren’t part of the main rotation and there will be trades and injuries, but if Bam or Jimmy increase their shots per game, or Duncan, it’s just less shots for Herro or Dipo. I even forgot about Morris. So I mean he may increase his points per game but it would come at the expense of someone else, and it’s reasonable to think Lowry gets the minutes and touches to get 17ppg. And Dragic only played 26mpg, Lowry will be in the 30s. At the end of the day, yes if you lose X amount of production from players that void will be filled by Y players or the team will have a significant drop off. I think they will be between 102 and last years 108 ppg. I don’t see the pace increasing they will have a lot of pick and roll still.
They dont necessarily need Oladipo to score. They need him to be a playmaker, defend near what he is capable of, and be efficient with the little bit of scoring they do get from him, and not effect their spacing…
Remember when Herro said he should be mentioned in the same conversation as Luka and Trae Young? You should it was last week.
He’s good, but that was absurd. Statistically speaking, he’s 1/2 the player as Luka.
More like 1/2 of a 1/4 the player Luka is… I mean talk about outrageous opinions, right?
He is similar to Devin Booker though, and he is actually one of the main guys he is comparable to. I would also say Rip Hamilton without the defense