Tyler Herro Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Jovic, Robinson, Butler, Herro, Tax Concerns

November 21st, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The current road trip is turning into a disaster for the short-handed Heat, but Sunday’s loss at Cleveland gave coach Erik Spoelstra a chance to experiment with a new lineup combination, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. First-round pick Nikola Jovic played 17 minutes alongside Bam Adebayo, giving the team two big men who are known for their passing skills.

Although the pairing didn’t get off to a great start — Miami was outscored by four points in their time on the court together — it may be a combination that Spoelstra turns to more often in the future. Adebayo attributed the early struggles to “growing pains” and said he enjoys being partnered with Jovic.

“I feel like with two passing bigs, we can feed off each other,” Adebayo said. “As you can see, (Jovic is) showing he can get in the gaps, he can see stuff. Just working with two guys that can pass, who are versatile, I feel like it makes our offense better.”

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The last thing Miami needed was another injury, but Duncan Robinson limped off the court in the fourth quarter after spraining his left ankle, Chiang states in a separate story. Robinson played 21 minutes after missing Friday’s game with a sprained right hand, but he had to leave Sunday’s contest after stepping on another player’s foot. Spoelstra said Robinson’s status for tonight’s game in Minnesota is uncertain.
The Heat got some good news about Jimmy Butler, who had to return to Miami over the weekend due to right knee soreness, Chiang adds. Tests on Butler’s knee showed no damage, and there’s a chance he could return Wednesday or Friday. Tyler Herro has missed the past seven games with a sprained left ankle, and Spoelstra said, “He’s not quite ready.”
Miami had just seven healthy players on Friday and 10 on Sunday, but luxury tax concerns have prevented the team from filling its open roster spot, Chiang explains in another piece. The Heat are about $200K below the threshold and can’t add another player right now without becoming a taxpaying team. Even a small tax payment this season would have repeater tax ramifications going forward — the team projects to be a taxpayer in upcoming years after signing Herro to a large extension last month.

Jimmy Butler Out At Least Three Games With Knee Soreness

November 18th, 2022 at 4:46pm CST by Rory Maher

After being ruled out of Friday’s game at Washington with knee soreness, Heat star Jimmy Butler is expected to return to Miami on Saturday and miss upcoming road games at Cleveland on Sunday and at Minnesota on Monday as well, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports (via Twitter).

The Heat are absolutely decimated by injuries at the moment. Victor Oladipo (knee tendinosis) and Omer Yurtseven (ankle surgery) have yet to play this season; Udonis Haslem is away from the team for personal reasons; Tyler Herro (ankle) and Dewayne Dedmon (non-COVID illness) are both out Friday; Gabe Vincent was initially not on the injury report but experienced swelling in his knee after today’s shootaround and has subsequently been ruled out; Duncan Robinson caught his hand in a jersey during shootaround and will miss his first career game due to injury; and finally, Bam Adebayo is out Friday after previously being listed as questionable (All Twitter links via Winderman).

That leaves just Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic available out of the 14-man standard roster, plus two-way rookies Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson for a total of seven healthy players. According to Winderman (Twitter link), the Heat plan to list Vincent as active despite being ruled out to meet the minimum requirement of eight players in uniform.

On a positive note, there’s a chance Herro could return Sunday against the Cavs, Winderman tweets. Friday will market his sixth straight absence due to a left ankle sprain.

The Heat are currently 7-8, the No. 10 seed in the East.

Heat Injury Updates: Oladipo, Herro, Yurtseven, Adebayo, Dedmon

November 16th, 2022 at 5:48pm CST by Rory Maher

Victor Oladipo is traveling with the Heat during their four-game road trip, which starts with Wednesday’s contest at Toronto, but that was more about helping him feel involved with the team rather than an indication that a return is imminent, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The veteran shooting guard has yet to play in the 2022/23 regular season due to left knee tendonosis, and his future availability remains murky.

“Just time will tell,” Oladipo said when asked about a return timetable. “When I feel right and everybody’s on the same page, then I’ll be ready to play.”

According to Chiang, Oladipo acknowledged that the injury may have been a result of “overwork,” which head coach Erik Spoelstra previously characterized as “overcompensation.” The 30-year-old has undergone a couple of right knee surgeries in the past few years, and apparently put extra strain on his other leg while ramping up to play this season.

“I think it’s more of a making-sure thing, and then taking the proper steps before going out there, instead of just going out there recklessly,” Oladipo said when asked if pain remains in his left knee. “As long as we’re all on the same page, we’re trying to make sure that I get out there as safely and as great as possible. That’s what we’re working on.”

Here a few more health-related updates on the Heat:

Wednesday marks the fifth straight game that Tyler Herro will miss with a left ankle sprain. Spoelstra said the starting guard is considered day-to-day and it’s “a possibility” that he could return at some point during the road trip, per Chiang.
Second-year center Omer Yurtseven, a restricted free agent this summer, underwent left ankle surgery Tuesday. Spoelstra commented on his status Wednesday, as Chiang relays. “He really tried to manage and fight through it,” Spoelstra. “It’s admirable that he was trying to do that. If he was like me or you and just walking around, you can get away with it. But if you’re trying to play NBA basketball games at the highest level, it’s something that you for sure have to take care of. It was successful and the prognosis looks good. I don’t have a definitive timeline. But everything that everybody has told me, after some rest and some rehab and the appropriate time to build it back up, he will be available at some point this season.”
According to Chiang, starting center Bam Adebayo was downgraded from questionable to out Wednesday due to a left knee contusion. Spoelstra said Adebayo is day-to-day after bruising his knee a few games ago, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
On a positive note, backup center Dewayne Dedmon (left foot plantar fasciitis) is officially listed as questionable Wednesday, but Spoelstra said he’s likely to play, according to Winderman (Twitter link).

Heat Notes: Yurtseven, Herro, Haslem, Oladipo, O. Robinson

November 15th, 2022 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Heat center Omer Yurtseven underwent surgery on his left ankle Tuesday. The team announced in a press release that the procedure, which was completed in Miami, addressed an impingement, bone spur, and stress reaction in Yurtseven’s ankle.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, Yurtseven said on Monday that a recovery timeline had yet to be established. That still appears to be the case — all the Heat said in today’s statement was that the big man will be reevaluated “at a later date.”

A report on Sunday indicated that Yurtseven would likely be out for at least three months or so, suggesting there’s still hope that he’ll be able to return this season, perhaps by March.

Here are a few more notes on the Heat:

The Heat have a four-game road trip on tap that begins on Wednesday in Toronto and concludes on Monday in Minnesota. According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Tyler Herro (ankle) and Udonis Haslem (personal reasons) aren’t traveling with the team to Toronto, but Victor Oladipo (knee) is. It’s possible Herro and Haslem will join the Heat later on the trip. As for Oladipo, he’s still not ready to return, but it may be a positive soon that he’s traveling with the club across the border.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra said that Herro’s ankle sprain, which has cost him four games and counting, isn’t any more serious than the Heat initially believed, per David Wilson of The Miami Herald. “You just never know with ankle sprains,” Spoelstra said. “They’re never on necessarily your timeline, so he just doesn’t have the mobility yet, but he’s getting better. He’s making progress.”
Signing a two-way contract doesn’t guarantee he’ll become part of the Heat’s rotation, but Orlando Robinson recognizes that he has a potential path to frontcourt minutes with Yurtseven unavailable, Chiang writes for The Miami Herald. “After I analyzed the fact that I’m here and I looked at the roster and everything, I saw I have the potential to actually play a little bit,” Robinson said. “Just knowing that, I’m going to just be ready when my time is called just like everybody else and make the most of my opportunity.”
As Chiang notes, Robinson is eligible to play in 43 regular season games instead of the usual 50 for a two-way player. That amount is prorated based on the fact that Robinson’s contract covers 148 regular season days instead of all 174.

Southeast Notes: Harris, Banchero, Martin, Herro, Beal

November 12th, 2022 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic guard Gary Harris feels like he’s close to playing again following arthroscopic surgery during the offseason to repair a torn meniscus, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Harris has been participating in full-court games with coaches and taking part in pre-game shootarounds as he prepares to make his season debut.

“I’m moving around a little bit right now,” he said. “I’m really trying to get my timing back. Get back in basketball shape. I’m testing stuff out each day. I get more comfortable around the court.”

Harris who signed a two-year, $26MM extension with Orlando before the start of free agency, has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. But the meniscus tear was the first one that required him to undergo surgery.

“It’s just different,” Harris said. “Different movements. It’s something I have to get back comfortable and familiar with after my first one. Just seeing how my body responds.”

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Magic coach Jamahl Mosley gave a medical update on top draft pick Paolo Banchero at today’s practice, Price adds. Banchero was able to participate in drills, but he remains day-to-day with a sprained left ankle and will be a game-time decision Monday.
Caleb Martin was looking forward to facing his twin brother as the Heat and Hornets met twice in three days in Miami, but an injury changed those plans, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Cody Martin has played just one minute this season because of a knee injury, and Charlotte announced Friday that he had an arthroscopic procedure. He’ll reportedly miss approximately six weeks. “It’s tough on him, man,” Caleb said. “He’s obviously like me in terms of competing and wanting to be out there and contributing. It’s hard for him to need to sit out and watch other guys play.”
Tyler Herro missed his third straight game tonight with a sprained left ankle and he’ll need some more time to recover, Chiang tweets. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Herro is doing “everything he needs to do” to get back on the court.
Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis are helping the Wizards remain competitive during Bradley Beal‘s latest stint in the health and safety protocols, notes Tyler Byrum of NBC Sports Washington. Beal cleared the protocols Friday, but he didn’t play tonight and coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he will likely be held out of Sunday’s game.

Southeast Notes: Davis, Ball, Herro, Martin, Strus

November 6th, 2022 at 7:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Many lottery picks wouldn’t be thrilled about a G League assignment. The Wizards’ Johnny Davis has a different take, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

Davis scored 13 points on 3-for-13 shooting in 26 minutes in his first outing for the Capital City Go-Go. He played 23 minutes and scored 17 points in his second G League game on Sunday.

The 10th overall pick is grateful to see so much court time.

“It was great to be able to finally play again,” Davis said. “Being with the Wizards, you always got to stay ready, but I’m glad they sent me down here so I can get some reps and just get that feeling back.”

Davis averaged six minutes in five NBA appearances before the assignment.

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LaMelo Ball could return this week from the left ankle sprain that has sidelined him since late in the preseason. His Hornets teammates are excited at the prospect of having their floor leader back, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes. “Super excited, super anxious,” Kelly Oubre said. “I tell him every day I miss him on the court. You know, he’s another element to our team that is through the roof. You can’t put a matchup on him.”
Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin are still adjusting to their new roles as starters for the Heat, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Herro is getting used to playing alongside other high-usage players, while Martin is getting most of his offensive opportunities around the 3-point line. “I think that’s what you need early on,” Martin said. “I think you need growing pains to figure things out and I’m glad we’re going through those now. It’s good to get that stuff out of the way, so you kind of nip a lot of stuff in the bud.”
Max Strus has only started three of 10 games for the Heat but he’s becoming an integral part of the closing unit, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Strus has played the entire fourth quarter the past two games. “He does a lot of things for us defensively,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He can guard bigger guys. He can play really anywhere we want to in a zone. We also can put him in different matches in our man, and he’s really proficient, really good on the back side of our defense. And then offensively he’s just gaining confidence.”

Jimmy Butler Back, Tyler Herro Questionable For Heat Monday

November 6th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After missing two straight contests for the Heat with left hip tightness, All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler is set to suit up for Miami tomorrow night against the Trail Blazers, reports Adam Lichtenstein of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

With their best player sidelined, the Heat went 1-1. The club sports an underwhelming 4-6 record overall on the young 2022/23 NBA season.

“I think it’s good for us to be able to compete and have legitimate chances to win games while he was out,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But yeah, he gives you a great emotional boost when he’s back. It was good to have him running around. He looked fully healthy to all of us. We’ll get him ready for tomorrow night.”

Butler is returning just in time, as the Trail Blazers have looked formidable thus far, with a surprising 6-3 record. Through his eight available contests for the club, the 33-year-old Butler has maintained his All-NBA output. He is averaging 21.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.5 APG and 1.5 SPG. The 6’7″ vet is also enjoying an excellent shooting season, boasting splits of .470/.391/.873.

Lichtenstein adds that Miami shooting guard Tyler Herro, diagnosed with a sprained left ankle, has been downgraded to questionable ahead of the team’s game against Portland on Monday.

Victor Oladipo remains unavailable as he continues to battle the left knee tendinosis that has restricted him thus far from the taking the court all year. Reserve big man Omer Yurtseven is also still sidelined due to a left ankle impingement.

Heat Notes: Spoelstra, Herro, Westbrook, Strus

October 31st, 2022 at 9:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes the team will soon solve its offensive issues after losing five of its first seven games, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. The fact that they play six of the next seven games at home should help the Heat fix their problems.

“We’re closer than we are further away from it,” Spoelstra said. “But when you add losses to it, sometimes it can feel like you’re far away. But we’re not that far away.”

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The issue regarding Tyler Herro is not whether he’s worthy of a starting role but rather if he’s better off as a sixth man, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines. What the Heat have gotten so far from Herro is a player still finding his way in that role. Herro is averaging 19.9 points and 2.9 assists in seven starts, compared to 20.7 points and 4.0 assists last season while playing the same number of minutes.
Trading Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson to the Lakers for Russell Westbrook wouldn’t make any sense, given that the franchise is always focused on going deep in the playoffs, Winderman writes in a separate story. While Westbrook’s $47MM contract would come off the books next summer, that would only ease luxury tax concerns rather than opening up significant cap space.
Max Strus is headed for free agency next offseason and he’ll get a huge bump in salary wherever he winds up. A mid-level taxpayer deal is a likely scenario, according to an executive interviewed by Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney. Strus says he’s not sweating the details. “If you get caught up in that stuff, it affects your play so I try not to think about it. I just do my best and put myself in a position for good things to happen,” he said.

Heat Notes: Spoelstra, Trade Restrictions, Haslem, Cain

October 30th, 2022 at 10:53am CST by Arthur Hill

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is frustrated by what he has seen from his players during their 2-5 start, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. After finishing with the best record in the East last season, Miami has been plagued by lax defense and poor shot selection, both of which were on display as the team was outscored 71-49 in the first half Saturday by the previously winless Kings.

“Right now, this is about the collective group, how are we going to impact this thing together to impact winning,” Spoelstra said. “If we try to do it any other way, it’s going to lead to an incredible amount of frustration. Anybody that is trying to do it on their own or anybody that is trying to self will it or anybody trying to work any individual goals with this, it ain’t going to work, it ain’t going to work on either end.”

One of the few Heat players who had a good game in Sacramento was Tyler Herro, who scored 34 points, although Spoelstra dismissed it as “not in a winning effort.” Herro, who is adapting to a new role as a starter this season, said the team needs to upgrade its defense, which currently ranks 18th in the league.

“After taking five losses, especially after the first half tonight, it’s time we… lock in and decide what type of team we want to be,” Herro said. “If we’re going to just get in shootouts like in the first half, then that’s the kind of team we want to be. I know we hang our hat on defense, so we’ve got to cover for each other.”

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Miami has limited options for roster moves because Dewayne Dedmon and injured guard Victor Oladipo are both under trade restrictions that prevent them from being moved until January 15, Jackson adds in a separate story. He states that outside of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the rest of the team has little trade value.
Udonis Haslem saw rare first-quarter minutes Saturday, which shows the Heat’s lack of depth in the frontcourt, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The 42-year-old power forward was actually the first player off the bench, replacing Adebayo after he picked up his second foul. Miami was missing Dedmon, who is suffering from an upper-respiratory infection and a foot issue, and Omer Yurtseven, who is rehabbing an injured ankle, but it appears Haslem might have a larger role than originally expected.
Jamal Cain, who earned a two-way contract with a strong preseason performance, will be sent to the team’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls, Winderman adds. First-round pick Nikola Jovic, who has seen limited playing time in three games, may be headed there as well once Dedmon and Yurtseven are able to play.

Heat Notes: Herro, Martin, Adebayo, D. Smith, Garrett

October 14th, 2022 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat unveiled their new-look starting lineup for the first time this preseason in Wednesday’s victory over the Pelicans, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin have joined Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the first unit and they were impressive in their first outing, outscoring New Orleans 60-48 in the 20 minutes they were on the court together.

Herro, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has the starting job that he said he wanted after the end of last season. His future in Miami is secure after receiving a contract extension that could be worth $130MM over four years, and he’s ready to take on a slightly different role in the offense.

“Having Jimmy, Kyle, Bam out there with me allows me to play off the ball a little bit more,” Herro said. “It allows me to just be a spacer. If I’m open, they kick to me and I just knock it down or play out of a close-out. It’s hard to guard me when guys are closing out to me.”

Martin moved into the starting role that opened when P.J. Tucker left for Philadelphia in free agency. He’s undersized for the power forward position, but he’s athletic enough to be an asset on a team that switches frequently on defense.

“I think Caleb has been doing exceptionally well,” Butler said. “I’m talking about switching, making shots, being aggressive, being a great teammate. It’s tough to do what P.J. does, but I think Caleb does it extremely well.”

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The Heat want Adebayo to assume a larger role in the offense, and his preseason numbers are pointing in that direction, Chiang tweets. Per 36 minutes, Adebayo averaged 31 points on 19.4 shots and 12.1 free throws in three games, compared to 21.1 points, 14.4 field goal attempts and 6.7 foul shots last season.
Signing Dru Smith to a two-way contract is likely the team’s last personnel move before the start of the season, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. However, he notes that five players held two-way deals with Miami in 2021/22, so those spots could change as the season progresses.
The decision to waive Marcus Garrett was related to his fractured wrist, but his role with the team was already shaky because his offense hasn’t improved, Winderman adds. Once Garrett recovers, the Heat may consider sending him to the G League or bringing him back in a two-way role.