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In five seasons, Tyler Herro has already seen a lot. An NBA finals appearance in his rookie season, which was during COVID, but one that was undeniably successful, with the added bonus of a significant contribution in the playoffs. Then a second chance at the big stage in 2023, which he didn't play in because of an unfortunate hand fracture at the start of the playoffs. But he already had a trophy - the 2022 Sixth Man of the Year - when his stint on the bench to boost the Miami Heat's second unit was a resounding success.
A victorious season during which Miami came within a game of another NBA final, which seemed to have allowed Herro, after a half-baked sophomore season, to finally establish himself as the future of his franchise. But over the last two years, this state of affairs has been seriously called into question. Not that he was sub-par since he stabilized around an average of 20 points without a hitch, but his impact was frankly questionable.
The fact that the Heat had to go through the play-ins to find their way to the playoffs in 2023 and that they reached the finals without one of their triggers, clearly made people start to doubt. The same thing happened last season. Once again, the team had to go through play-in to snatch the eighth seed in the playoffs. But this time, the result was an elimination in the first round against the eventual champions. But the individual performance (16.8 points, 5.4 assists, 38.5% shooting, 34.9% three-point shooting, 2.8 turnovers) left something to be desired. What's more, a season-ending injury led to fears that he wouldn't even be on the floor at this time of year. And that brings us to the concern: his physique.
More than 100 games missed in the regular season since his arrival in the NBA. As early as his rookie season, he suffered a number of ankle problems. The last financial year was particularly complicated in this area, with only 42 games played in the regular season, making the task all the more difficult. However, these factors need to be tempered. If he could be considered his team's offensive leader in the last playoffs, facing the Celtics without Jimmy Butler or Terry Rozier II was like a suicide mission.
So much so, in fact, that when the Heat took a game off in the series, the champagne was almost popping in Florida - it looked like the chronicle of a defeat foretold. As a result of the above, it's hard to fault Herro for his physical fragility, as his team was so badly affected in that area. But the fact remains that when a player raises such high hopes in his rookie season due to being the 13th overall pick in the draft, he is inevitably scrutinized far more than the average player - people wait for the explosion that will make him a star. In that respect, perhaps he's on the right track.
The start of the season has confirmed his talent and established him as a top scorer. Averaging 24.9 points on 50.9% shooting and 47.9% from three-point range, it's fair to say that he's hot right now. What's more, he's now averaging more than five assists for the first time (5.3) in a team in desperate need of playmaking.
