Miami Heat's Tyler Herro Part of the Future

Miami Heat team president Pat Riley calls Herro a `core' player

A year ago, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro was the darling of the NBA bubble during the postseason. 

As a rookie, he had a breakout and scored a career-high 37 points against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. A year later, Herro is having critics question his worth after an inconsistent second season and his struggles in the playoffs. 

On Thursday, Heat team president Pat Riley came to Herro's defense. He called Herro a vital piece of the Heat's roster. 

“He’s a core player. That’s all there is to it,” Riley said. “When we got swept by Milwaukee, that was an absolute team breakdown. It wasn’t any one individual. When you get blown out like that and you get beaten by a great team, it isn’t any one individual. Tyler Herro is a core player for us.”

The Heat were swept by the Bucks in the first round. Herro didn't produce much as he did the previous season. He averaged just 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in the four games. He also shot just 31 percent from the field. 

It was a steep fall for Herro, who at one point was hearing his name involved in James Harden trade rumors. Still, with Victor Oladipo's contract expiring, the Heat seem fully vested in Herro.  Regardless, Herro will have something to prove entering next season. 

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