During an interview with NBA reporter Wes Goldberg of The Ringer, Tyler Herro admitted that he thought the Miami Heat would trade him in the offseason for Damian Lillard.
“I thought I was out of here,” Herro said. “I damn near had my shit packed up.”
Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers and wanted to get traded to the Heat. Miami and Portland discussed a Lillard trade several times, with Herro’s name coming up in those conversations.
However, the Blazers wound up trading Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, which meant Herro was staying with the Heat: “But then the summer continued to go on,” Herro said, “and it didn’t happen.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Tyler Herro, Damian Lillard, Miami Heat Updates
Herro appeared in 67 games for the Heat last season. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 43.9% from the field, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 93.4% from the free-throw line.
The Heat signed Herro to a four-year, $120 million extension in October 2022. Herro has career averages of 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 242 games with the Heat. He broke his hand in the first round of the 2023 playoffs versus the Milwaukee Bucks and never came back.
“I think my name just gives people something to talk about every summer,” Herro said. “The goalpost always moves with me. At first, they said I wouldn’t be a 20-point scorer, then I’m a 20-point scorer. I don’t know what the hell they say now, but I’m sure there’s something.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Tyler Herro, Damian Lillard, Miami Heat Updates
The Heat, who lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Finals in five games, are expected to start Kyle Lowry, Herro, Josh Richardson, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo this season.
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