Tyler Herro is confident that the Miami Heat can compete for an NBA title next season, even though they didn’t make any major splashy moves in the offseason.
Herro shared his enthusiasm and optimism about the team's prospects in a recent interview with Forbes. He emphasized that health and internal growth will be crucial to their success.
Tyler Herro believes the Miami Heat are still title contenders
When questioned about whether the Heat should still be considered a top title contender for the upcoming season, the Heat sharpshooter responded, “I don’t see why not. We have everything we need.”
The Heat's 2023-24 season was plagued by injuries, especially to All-Star Jimmy Butler, who was sidelined for the entire first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
Without Butler, the Heat faced difficulties and were knocked out in five games.
Despite this, Herro is confident that with a fully healthy roster, the Heat can make a strong push in the Eastern Conference and contend for the NBA championship.
“Bam Adebayo and I are young guys who are starting to become full-fledged veterans in this league. Terry Rozier is healthy now and ready to compete. Then you have Jimmy Butler, who is extra motivated after not being able to play in the playoffs last season.”
Leveraging Heat culture
The Heat’s core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Herro, and Terry Rozier has the capability to pose a significant threat to any defense. Nonetheless, Herro emphasized that maintaining health is crucial. Last season, this core played in approximately 71 percent of their available games, participating in 234 out of 328 games.
Herro also highlighted that although many Eastern Conference teams have made external upgrades, the Heat’s emphasis on internal development might be equally impactful.
“I’m really excited for this season. Obviously, there are a lot of teams in the East that think they have externally improved. But I think we’ve improved internally. It may look a little different, but we have young guys that we hope will continue to get better,” said Herro.
As the new season approaches, the Heat will be looking to prove that their focus on internal improvements and resilience can lead them to the championship they’ve been chasing during the Butler era.
Despite not yet lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy since Jimmy Butler's arrival, the Heat have proven themselves as serious contenders with multiple NBA Finals appearances since 2020.
Herro aiming to improve his health and efficiency
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Since entering the league, Tyler Herro has been known for his scoring ability both on and off the ball. Last season, he ranked in the 90th percentile for points per 75 possessions, averaging 22.9, according to Dunks & Threes.
However, even with his elite scoring volume, his efficiency is around the league average, placing him in the 40th percentile for true shooting. Herro aims to improve his efficiency while keeping or even increasing his scoring output.
He averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last season despite being restricted to 42 games by injuries, is especially driven to maintain his health and play a key role in the team's success.
The Heat guard noted that, “We haven’t been healthy yet. But we feel like when we do get healthy, we have a very deep team – a team that is deep enough to make a run in the East and ultimately win the NBA title.”
