Tyler Herro Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Swider, Cain, Audige, Herro

August 7th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have been quiet while hoping for a Damian Lillard trade to materialize, but they reached an agreement Sunday with Cole Swider on an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The former Lakers forward spent most of last season in the G League on a two-way contract.

Chiang hears that Swider will have a chance to compete for a two-way deal with Miami and possibly even a spot on the 15-man roster. As a 6’9″ long-range shooter, Swider could have some value for a team that lost three-point threats Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in free agency. Duncan Robinson, a similar player, may be sent elsewhere in a potential Lillard deal, Chiang adds.

Swider made a verbal commitment to the Heat, according to Chiang, but if the team intends to include Exhibit 9 language in his deal, he can’t officially sign until the team has at least 14 players with standard deals. Drew Peterson, another 6’9″ sharpshooter who played for Miami’s Summer League team, is in a similar situation.

There’s more from Miami:

With the commitments from Swider and Peterson, along with 13 standard contracts and a pair of two-way deals, the Heat have four more roster spots to fill before training camp opens, Chiang adds. One of those could go to power forward Jamal Cain, who received a qualifying offer to return to the team on a two-way contract. Cain is still searching for a standard deal, which Miami has been reluctant to offer, according to Chiang. The deadline to rescind the two-way offer passed in July, so Cain is free to accept it at any time.
The Heat also contacted Northwestern guard Chase Audige about an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. However, a source tells Jackson that Audige has decided to accept an Exhibit 10 offer from another team where he believes he has a better chance to earn a roster spot.
Zach Kram of The Ringer takes an in-depth look at Tyler Herro to determine whether he’s valuable enough to be the central piece in a Lillard trade. Miami is hoping to find a third team to take Herro and increase the number of draft assets going to Portland. Kram finds that Herro is part of a star-studded group that averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game at age 23, but his defensive limitations put a cap on his trade value.

Atlantic Notes: Bazley, Maxey, Herro, Tucker, Knicks

July 22nd, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Nets power forward Darius Bazley envisions himself as being a versatile, defense-first contributor for Brooklyn, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Following a 2022/23 season split between the Thunder and Suns, the 6’8″ big man inked a one-year, veteran’s minimum agreement with Brooklyn, citing the team’s energy and chemistry as reasons why the Nets appealed to him.

“Just watching them a little bit in the playoffs, also just throughout the course of the season, the new team that they had towards the end here, they looked like they had fun,” Bazley said. “They looked like they played hard and together. It was just something I wanted to be a part of. When it all came down to it, Brooklyn was the place to be.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

As chatter about Damian Lillard‘s demand to be traded to the Heat continues, league executives who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy.com suggested that a stronger package could be put together around Sixers shooting guard Tyrese Maxey, whom they see as a better young player than Miami shooting guard Tyler Herro. “I like Herro, I think everyone does,” a rival scout said. “But when you look at where these guys are gonna be in four or five years, you can see a lot more growth potential with Maxey. He is more of an attacker, he gets into the lane, he is a lot more efficient with his shot. And you know, in today’s game, efficiency is everything. So I mean, it’s a no-brainer in that respect.”
Sixers star guard James Harden continues to want out of town, while veteran power forward P.J. Tucker‘s name was recently floated as a potential piece to include in a possible trade. Kyle Neubeck of ThePhillyVoice.com wonders if it may behoove Philadelphia strategically to move off Tucker’s contract. Though the 39-year-old remains a high-level defender, his meager offensive contributions last seasons don’t necessarily portend a bright future in that regard. Neubeck notes that moving Tucker for cap relief and/or a more athletic player could help the club.
Although the Knicks have now signed three players to fill their three two-way contracts heading into the 2023/24 season, the team is not permitted to withdraw its two-way qualifying offer to Duane Washington Jr. without his permission, in accordance with NBA guidelines, as Fred Katz of The Athletic observes (Twitter links). If Washington were to accept his two-way QO, the Knicks would have to waive one of their two-way players, since they’re not permitted to carry four.

Raptors Rumors: Herro, Siakam, Point Guard

July 15th, 2023 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors are among the teams that have conveyed “exploratory” interest in Heat guard Tyler Herro as part of the multi-team trade discussions involving the Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Toronto lost Fred VanVleet in free agency, and lottery pick Gradey Dick is just 19 years old and may not be ready for a significant rotation role as a rookie, so it makes sense that the team would be on the lookout for another backcourt player who can make outside shots.

The Raptors’ 33.5% three-point percentage last season ranked 28th in the NBA. The club also possesses the sort of expiring contracts that might appeal more to the Blazers in a Lillard trade than Herro’s four-year deal would.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Given how frequently the Hawks have been frequently linked to Pascal Siakam this offseason, rival executives are curious about how Atlanta might build an offer for the Raptors forward, Scotto says. Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic are currently ineligible to be traded due to recently signed extensions, and Clint Capela likely wouldn’t appeal to a Toronto team that just re-signed Jakob Poeltl. It’s unclear if a package centered around De’Andre Hunter would be strong enough for the Raptors, Scotto notes, especially since the Hawks have limited draft capital to offer after having already traded away multiple future first-round picks.
Although the Magic have been rumored as a possible suitor for Siakam, a league source who spoke to Scotto believes that’s more “noise than substance,” since Orlando has Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner locked into the forward spots and wouldn’t be inclined to move either player.
There was some skepticism among league personnel at the Las Vegas Summer League that the Raptors will ultimately trade Siakam, according to Scotto. “Toronto always does the same thing,” one scout told HoopsHype. “They dangle their guys, and then they pull them back.”
The Raptors are mulling the possibility of adding another point guard in free agency, per Scotto. The team signed Dennis Schröder, who will presumably replace VanVleet in the starting lineup, but doesn’t have a reliable backup at that spot.

Fischer’s Latest: Washington, Stewart, Hornets, Herro

July 14th, 2023 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

After Miles Bridges put himself on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024 by accepting his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last week, the Hornets will probably want to avoid putting P.J. Washington on a similar path, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen whether the Hornets and Washington will be able to find common ground on a multiyear deal.

According to Fischer, coming into Summer League, league personnel believed that Washington and the Hornets remained far apart in their discussions on a four-year contract, though there was some optimism they’d come to terms after Summer League.

Marc Stein has reported that Washington is seeking $18MM+ annually, while Fischer previously suggested that the Charlotte forward may be looking for $20MM per year. In his latest article, Fischer says Washington still hasn’t received an offer from the Hornets that matches or exceeds what Isaiah Stewart got on his new extension with Detroit ($15MM in guaranteed money per year; up to $16MM annually with incentives).

Because teams around the NBA are essentially limited to mid-level money at this point, a sign-and-trade would be necessary to get Washington his desired salary from a non-Hornets team. While it’s not clear whether there’s a club out there with serious interest in such a scenario, Fischer says Charlotte would probably prefer a sign-and-trade over Washington accepting his qualifying offer.

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before he signed his extension, Stewart had generated more trade inquiries in 2023 than any player on the Pistons‘ roster besides Cade Cunningham, sources tell Fischer. The fact that the big man signed a rookie scale extension so early in the offseason indicates that he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
With the Hornets undergoing an ownership change, there’s a sense in league circles that president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak and head coach Steve Clifford could be on the hot seat in 2023/24, Fischer writes. Even if the Hornets’ new owners aren’t eager to make an immediate change, Kupchak and Clifford are each entering the final guaranteed year of their respective contracts, Fischer notes, so next offseason might be a logical time to shake things up anyway.
According to Fischer, league personnel are optimistic that if Tyler Herro is included in a Damian Lillard trade with the Heat, the Trail Blazers will be able to flip Herro to a third team for at least a first-round pick.
In case you missed it, we passed along several notes and rumors from Fischer on Wednesday.

Northwest Notes: Lillard, Holmgren, Micic, Edwards

July 4th, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Since Damian Lillard made his trade request on Saturday, it has been made clear by various reporters that he’s focused on landing with the Heat, but that the Trail Blazers don’t seem overly enthusiastic about what Miami can offer. The belief is that if the Blazers are going to make a deal with Miami, they would want to involve a third team in order to secure more assets that appeal to them, likely in place of Tyler Herro, who would be redundant in Portland’s crowded backcourt.

In an ESPN appearance (YouTube link), Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that the Blazers are “not impressed” by the assets that the Heat have to offer, adding that Portland has been fielding calls from various teams around the NBA who are inquiring to see what it might take to land Lillard. While the Blazers could potentially get a stronger package from another team, it also remains to be seen how the star guard might respond if he’s sent somewhere he doesn’t want to be, which may give suitors outside of Miami pause about putting their best assets on the table.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link), the Blazers have explored multi-team trade scenarios that would send Lillard to the Heat and net Portland more draft assets than Miami has to offer directly.

“There are three- or four-team scenarios in a potential deal with the Heat that would potentially net the Blazers several first-round draft picks,” Charania said during an appearance on The Rally.

While Charania didn’t offer any further details, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tries his hand at putting together some hypothetical multi-team Lillard deals that he believes are at least somewhat plausible.

As we await more signs of forward progress in the Lillard talks, here’s more from around the Northwest:

After missing his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury in his right foot, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren made his 2023 Summer League debut in Salt Lake City on Monday. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes, last year’s No. 2 overall pick looked a little rusty, but ended up with 15 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks — more importantly, the foot felt “great,” according to Holmgren. “It’s like the injury never happened, other than everything I had to go through obviously,” he said. “But at this point, if you erased my memory, I wouldn’t know that anything had happened to my foot other than the scars from surgery.”
Numerous EuroLeague veterans have flopped in the NBA, but Vasilije Micic will try to buck that trend with the Thunder, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman writes. Only 10 Europeans have debuted in the NBA at age 29 or older and a majority had limited success. Micic agreed to a three-year, $23.5MM contract over the weekend.
With Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards set to sign a massive new maximum-salary extension, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic takes a look at some of the on- and off-court responsibilities that will come with Edwards’ new deal.

Heat Rumors: Strus, Robinson, Herro, Bouyea

July 2nd, 2023 at 6:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat didn’t go beyond their initial offer to Max Strus, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

Strus attracted plenty of attention on the free agent market and Miami eventually agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers that turned into a three-team swap. Strus wound up with a four-year, $63MM contract, far more than the Heat were willing to pay him. The Heat will get a traded player exception worth approximately $7MM in the deal.

Miami did make a counter-offer for Gabe Vincent, Winderman adds, but it couldn’t stop him from agreeing to a three-year contract with the Lakers for more money.

We have more on the Heat:

Orlando Robinson has signed a standard minimum-salary contract but he has some work to do to earn the full value for 2023/24, Winderman tweets. There are conditional elements to the contract, including guarantee dates. One of those stipulations is that he must make the opening-night roster.
The Nets have been contacted regarding the possibility of acquiring Tyler Herro in order to facilitate a Damian Lillard deal between the Trail Blazers and Heat, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. This confirms another report that the Nets were interested in Herro, whose four-year, $120MM extension kicks in next season.
Herro may be weary of hearing his name in trade rumors. For what it’s worth, Herro has removed “Miami Heat Guard” from the header on his Twitter feed and replaced it with “Slow motion,” NBA Central relays (Twitter link).
Jamaree Bouyea, recently signed to a two-way contract, believes he can become the next Heat success story among undrafted players, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Bouyea played on separate 10-day contracts with the Heat and Wizards as an undrafted rookie last year. “I like how they just invest, they invest in their young guys,” he said. “Obviously, they have a bunch of undrafted talent that got paid this offseason and offseasons before this, as well.”

Latest On Damian Lillard

July 1st, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin will try to accommodate the trade request Damian Lillard made earlier today, but he will also operate in the best interests of his own team, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Rival front offices believe Cronin is looking for a “star-level” return and he’s willing to consider other teams besides Miami, which is Lillard’s preferred destination.

Cronin confirmed that sentiment in a statement he issued after the Lillard news was made public, saying, “We have been clear that we want Dame here, but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace else. What has not changed for us is that we’re committed to winning, and we are going to do what’s best for the team in pursuit of that goal.” (Twitter link)

Tyler Herro, who has four years and $120MM left on his contract, is considered a vital part of any Heat deal for salary matching purposes. However, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that Cronin doesn’t view Herro as a good fit with his roster and would try to find a third team to take him if Lillard is traded to Miami. The Nets have been considered as a team that might take on Herro’s contract, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

There’s also a sense that the Blazers won’t rush into a deal and will take their time to make sure they get the best return for Lillard, tweets Mark Medina of Sportsnaut.

Many teams are interested in acquiring Lillard, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who names the Sixers, Clippers and Jazz among them. Amick reiterates that a third team would likely have to get involved for a trade with Miami to work.

Amick also examines what led to Lillard’s trade request, saying he was ready to ask for a deal when he and his agent met with Cronin on Monday. Cronin was able to talk Lillard into waiting to see what the team was able to do in free agency, but when no major additions took place Friday night, Lillard called coach Chauncey Billups and decided it was time to move on.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer also has doubts that Lillard will end up in Miami, stating that the Heat’s potential best offer would be “one of the worst trades in NBA history.” He believes Miami would be willing to accept Jusuf Nurkic‘s contract along with Lillard, while sending back Herro, Kyle Lowry, Jaime Jaquez, Nikola Jovic, first-round picks in 2028 and 2030 and a pick swap in 2029. O’Connor points out that the deal wouldn’t give Portland a collection of valuable picks or young talent to build around.

O’Connor lists eight teams that he believes should be aggressively pursuing Lillard, starting with the Sixers. Philadelphia has indicated that it’s not willing to part with Tyrese Maxey, but if that changes, O’Connor views Maxey, two future first-rounders, a pick swap and expiring contracts as better than what Miami can offer. He points out that Sixers president Daryl Morey can pick up more trade assets by sending James Harden to the Clippers before addressing Lillard.

Damian Lillard Rumors: Heat, Herro, Martin, Nurkic, Grant

July 1st, 2023 at 3:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Shockwaves were sent throughout the league this morning when it was reported that longtime Trail Blazers All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard had requested a trade.

During an appearance on NBA Today, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter video link) spoke with host Malika Andrews about the curious timing of the deal.

“His conversations with the organization, at least going back several days [to] that last Monday meeting in Portland, the expectation was he was going to give the organization a chance to get through free agency, and see how they could improve the team,” Woj said. “And on the opening night of free agency, they committed in Portland $160MM to Jerami Grant to return to the Blazers, certainly with Damian Lillard in mind. And now, less than 24 hours later, Lillard has asked for a trade.”

Sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that Lillard’s agent Aaron Goodwin informed Joe Cronin of his client’s decision on Saturday morning.

Haynes is one of many reporters hearing that Lillard hopes to be dealt to Miami. Heat All-NBA swingman Jimmy Butler, fresh off leading the team to its second Finals appearance in four seasons, has told Miami personnel that Lillard is his No. 1 target for the club’s offseason, Haynes adds.

Miami is prepared to make an offer centered around young shooting guard Tyler Herro, according to Haynes, who says sharpshooter Duncan Robinson and draft picks could be used to build out the package. The team is hoping to avoid including affordable forward Caleb Martin in trade talks, per Haynes and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (via Twitter).

The Trail Blazers, for their part, may angle to unload the contract of veteran center Jusuf Nurkic in a deal.

“If you want to go into a full rebuild, Brooklyn has the better assets going forward,” a front office executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. “But Portland is pretty clear that they are not looking to be terrible next year. They will be young but they want to stay competitive. Dealing with Miami gets you there.”

Surrounding third overall lottery pick Scoot Henderson with a play-making scorer at the level of Herro and perhaps a marksman with the pedigree of Robinson could help the Trail Blazers at least remain somewhat competitive next season.

However, there have been rumblings that Portland may be “lukewarm” on Herro, so it’s possible a third team would have to get involved, as Jackson writes for The Miami Herald in an exploration of possible trade scenarios. Haynes (Twitter link) has indeed heard that any Lillard trade between the Blazers and Heat would probably have to include a third team, though he doesn’t specify whether that’s related to Portland’s feelings about Herro.

The Sixers are another club that hopes to get into the running for Lillard. However, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) is hearing that young combo guard Tyrese Maxey, who is still on his rookie scale contract, is currently off the table in any trade talks, even for Lillard. Fischer reiterates that rival teams, including Philadelphia, are convinced Lillard hopes to be moved to the Heat specifically.

Finally, Wojnarowski provides an important update on another key veteran whose future is affected by Lillard’s trade request, tweeting that today’s news won’t change Portland’s plans to re-sign Grant to the five-year, $160MM contract he and the team agreed to on Friday night.

That deal can’t be made official until July 6, so either side could back out of their verbal agreement before then. However, it would be a bad look for a club to rescind such a significant offer, and Grant seems unlikely to do anywhere near that well elsewhere on the free agent market.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Heat Rumors: Vincent, Strus, Lowry, Wood, Herro

June 28th, 2023 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have two rotation guards facing unrestricted free agency this week, and Gabe Vincent is considered a better bet to remain in Miami than Max Strus, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

There’s mutual interest in a new deal between the Heat and Vincent, whom the team values at a figure of about $10MM per year, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

As Fischer outlines, teams like the Suns, Pistons, Sixers, and Mavericks initially appeared to be among Vincent’s potential suitors. However, the Suns were probably only in play if they’d been forced to waive-and-stretch Chris Paul, while the Pistons may no longer be in the market for a free agent guard after making a trade for Marcus Sasser on draft night. Philadelphia and Dallas, meanwhile, would have interest in a guard like Vincent if they’re unable to re-sign James Harden and Kyrie Irving, respectively, but for now those stars appear likely to stick with their current teams.

Strus should be more popular on the open market, with cap-room teams like the Pistons, Pacers, and Magic among the possible suitors cited by league personnel, Fischer writes. Some clubs with the full mid-level exception will also have interest in Strus, according to Fischer — he mentions the Cavaliers as one, though he notes that Cleveland is also eyeing free agents like Kelly Oubre and Georges Niang.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest Lowe Post podcast that there’s a “ridiculous” amount of Strus buzz happening around the NBA right now. Lowe is confident that Strus will at least get a deal worth the full mid-level exception ($12.4MM) and says a team with cap room might top that figure, which is a point Fischer makes as well. People around the league aren’t expecting Strus to re-sign with the Heat, Fischer adds.

Here’s more on the Heat:

If Miami re-signs Vincent and doesn’t find a trade that requires Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM expiring contract, league personnel are preparing for the possibility that the Heat will waive Lowry, says Fischer. A report on Tuesday indicated that the team was considering the possibility of using the stretch provision on the veteran point guard. There’s already speculation about his possible free agent destinations, Fischer says, noting that a return to the Raptors would be a possible path for Lowry in that scenario.
Christian Wood has been continually identified by league personnel as a player who is on the Heat’s radar in free agency, Fischer reports. Wood isn’t expected to re-sign with Dallas.
If the Heat get the opportunity to make a play for Damian Lillard, there’s an expectation that Tyler Herro will be part of the package they offer the Trail Blazers. However, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com that Portland is “lukewarm” on Herro. It’s a moot point for now, since the Blazers remain focused on keeping Lillard. But if Dame does request a trade, it could become an important factor in trade talks.

Fischer’s Latest: Hunter, Pistons, Collins, Jazz, Poole, Herro

June 23rd, 2023 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks didn’t end up making any major moves on draft day, but they continue to explore potential trade options around the league, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, in addition to having talked to Indiana about a possible deal involving forward De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks also had “significant” discussions with the Pistons about a trade that would have sent the 25-year-old to Detroit.

Hunter isn’t the only Hawks forward whose name is popping up in trade talks this week. Fischer says Atlanta has also been active on the John Collins front, re-engaging the Jazz in conversations about the big man who has been consistently mentioned in trade rumors for multiple years. However, it doesn’t sound like the two sides gained serious traction in those negotiations.

Here’s more from Fischer’s post-draft report for Yahoo Sports:

Before agreeing to trade Jordan Poole to Washington, the Warriors also talked to the Celtics and Spurs about him, writes Fischer. Boston moved forward with its Kristaps Porzingis deal instead, while San Antonio “never made a significant offer” for Poole, according to Fischer, who adds that Golden State also had “serious” talks with the Pacers about a deal involving the No. 7 overall pick and Jonathan Kuminga.
Given that the Wizards were making it in a point in most of their trade discussions not to take back any long-term money, some opposing executives have wondered if they intend to flip Poole to another team, says Fischer. However, sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Warriors are under the impression that Washington plans to keep the high-scoring guard.
Golden State’s trade of Poole has increased speculation among rival executives that the Heat may take a similar path and look to deal Tyler Herro sooner rather than later, per Fischer. Herro didn’t play a role in Miami’s run to the NBA Finals this spring due to a hand injury, and his four-year $120MM+ contract is very similar to Poole’s.
People around the NBA think there may be some “atypical” trade activity before the start of free agency, according to Fischer. The new CBA will take effect in July, so teams may want to take advantage of certain old rules – like the ability of tax-apron teams to take back up to 125% of the salaries they send out in trades – before they expire.