Heat Trade Proposal Swaps Tyler Herro for Former Lakers Champ
The Miami Heat, restricted by their budget, are still exploring trade possibilities this offseason.
Tyler Herro, who was often mentioned in trade rumors last season, is once again in the spotlight. Zach Buckley from Bleacher Report suggested an interesting player-for-player trade: Herro to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma.
“The Heat are struggling to rely on Herro, who hasn’t played more than 66 games in any of his first five NBA seasons. They might also question the defensive viability of a Herro-Terry Rozier backcourt,” Buckley wrote on July 10. He added that swapping Herro for Kuzma could alleviate some defensive concerns in the backcourt while providing Miami with a 20-point scorer who has experience in a supporting role on a championship team (the 2019-20 Lakers, who defeated the Heat in the bubble).
Would a Tyler Herro & Kyle Kuzma Trade Be Good for Miami Heat?
Buckley believes the Heat could benefit from adding the 29-year-old Kuzma, particularly for his defense. “The Heat have struggled to get enough two-way players on the floor, and Kuzma is better balanced in that regard,” Buckley noted.
While Herro, 24, is younger and a better three-point shooter (Herro’s career average is 38.5% compared to Kuzma’s 33.7%), Kuzma is a significantly better rebounder. Kuzma is also more experienced, having played seven seasons in the NBA compared to Herro’s five, and he has become a strong starter with the Wizards. In his three seasons with Washington, the 6-foot-9 forward has averaged 20.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
Herro’s stats are similar, with 20.5 points, 4.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game over his last three seasons with the Heat. Financially, the Heat would save around $5.5 million by swapping Herro’s $29 million cap hit for Kuzma’s $23.5 million next season.
Given Herro’s potential and Kuzma being in his prime, this trade might be a lateral move for the Heat. If Herro is to be part of a trade package, the Heat would likely include other players to aim for acquiring another superstar to pair with Jimmy Butler.
Heat Have Made Minimal Moves So far This Offseason
This offseason, the Heat have only added veteran swingman Alec Burks on a one-year, $3.3 million deal. With limited financial flexibility, a trade seems the most viable option for reshaping the roster. The Heat currently have 14 players under contract and are just $1.2 million short of the second tax apron. They have also re-signed veterans like Kevin Love, Haywood Highsmith, and Thomas Bryant, suggesting they might stick with their current roster configuration.
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