Mateo’s Hoop Diary: See ya later, Tyler Herro

Seven seasons went by in a flash and a player staying in one spot for that long is more than most do. Tyler Herro rose from a late lottery pick in 2019 to an All-Star in 2024-25, and did all he could in the Miami Heat’s transitional stage. Being limited to 33 outings last season derailed any chance he had of a follow up.

Now he’s gone to the Milwaukee Bucks in the swap for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it’s unclear if they’ll flip him or he will stay there. He would be a big help to them, but he would be more so for the Detroit Pistons because they need another shot creator around Cade Cunningham.

Herro is not a perfect player, but he has become underrated, in part because he was not healthy for the team’s 2023 Finals run after breaking his hand in Game 1 of the playoffs. He could do damage with the right 1A player next to him. Perhaps he can take his game to another level if he gets significantly stronger.

His time in Miami should be remembered for being a very good regular-season player and a heck of a professional, who always wanted to compete, and wisely weighed the risks when it came to playing through pain. Never forget that before Jimmy Butler was traded to Golden State, Herro was playing at a higher level than Stephen Curry. Of course, maintaining that level was not going to happen, and Curry picked up his game, but it showed that Herro had come a long way from being Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22.

His most impactful playoff run with the team was his rookie season, and his best moment in a Heat uniform was scoring 37 points on 66.7 percent shooting off the bench, helping them take a 3-1 lead in the conference Finals over the Boston Celtics. He didn’t play well and got hurt in the 2022 postseason, and was exposed defensively in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

Still, someone like Herro will be motivated by getting shipped out of Miami, and will want to punish the Heat for it in future meetings. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the best revenge story against the Heat since Jamal Mashburn led the Charlotte Hornets in scoring when they swept Miami in 2001.

Herro’s best is yet to come.