Is Tyler Herro Better Suited For A Role Off The Miami Heat's Bench?

Shandel Richardson | Jul 24, 2024

Apr 29, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) warms up to play the Boston Celtics in game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports / Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro arguably had the best season of his career in 2021-22.

He won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 20.7 points, five rebounds and four assists. Herro came off the bench the majority of the season.

It raises this question: Is Herro better as a reserve?

The statistics say so. The Heat were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with Herro coming off the bench. They fell just shy of the NBA Finals after falling to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the conference finals.

How close were they? Jimmy Butler missed a pull-up 3-pointer that would have sent them to play the Golden State Warriors for the title. That year, Herro was praised for his play but he returned to the starting lineup the following season.

The most points ever scored off the bench for the Miami Heat:

37 — Tyler Herro
35 — Tyler Herro
35 — Dwyane Wade
33 — Tyler Herro

Just going to leave this here … pic.twitter.com/1U2DzUvjM5

— HeatMuse (@Heat_Muse) July 24, 2024

But maybe he is a better reserve. Herro already has three of the top Heat performances by a player off the bench.

Even Heat legend Udonis Haslem thinks Herro is more effective as a non-starter.

“I think for Tyler, his role, I think he’s great as a sixth man, and when he won Sixth Man of the Year, I think that’s a great role for Tyler,” Haslem during a ESPN appearance in May. “I think moving into the future in today’s NBA, you can still be a sixth man, you can still get all your money.“

Herro has started all but two of his 109 regular season games over the two years since receiving the Sixth Man honor. With Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier in the starting lineup, Herro could go back to providing a spark with the second unit.

“I take nothing away from what Tyler does as a basketball player," Haslem said. "But for our chemistry, we’re better when we have Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup making plays, being a trigger for us, and spreading and creating for other guys." 

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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