Heat’s Tyler Herro Returns To Action On Friday

6:10pm: Herro will return to action on Friday in a reserve role with an unspecified minutes restriction, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links).

7:42am: There’s optimism that guard Tyler Herro could return to action on Friday when the Heat face the Rockets in Houston, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Herro has been sidelined since February 23, having missed Miami’s past 20 games due to a hyperextended left knee and medial tendinitis in his right foot. The knee is no longer an issue, but the foot injury has kept the 24-year-old on the shelf.

Herro is traveling with the club on its three-game road trip to Houston, Indiana (Sunday), and Atlanta (Tuesday), Charania notes, so even if he’s not cleared to return on Friday, it sounds like there’s a good chance he’ll be back in action before the Heat return home next week.

It has been an injury-plagued season for Herro, who also missed several weeks in November and December. However, he has played some of his best basketball when he has been healthy, averaging a career-best 20.8 points and 4.4 assists in in 33.6 minutes per game across 36 appearances (all starts).

Herro’s 39.9% mark on three-point attempts also matches a career high, and he’s attempting more of those outside shots than ever (8.1 per game), so he’ll be a welcome addition to a Heat team that could use his scoring and shooting as it battles for a top-six spot in the East.

With Herro on the verge of returning, it’s unclear whether or not Terry Rozier will be available on Friday vs. the Rockets, per Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Rozier appeared to suffer a knee injury late in Thursday’s loss to Philadelphia, and while he told reporters after the game that he felt better, head coach Erik Spoelstra suggested the club will take another look at the knee on Friday.

“He banged knees,” Spoelstra said. “We’ll just have to see how he feels when we get on to Houston. He said he feels fine. You don’t want to take anybody for their word until we get to Houston, see each other (Friday) morning. He’s tough.”