If rumors were to be believed this past offseason, Tyler Herro looked a little like the odd man out. However, now that the trade talks surrounding Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard have faded away, Herro is incredibly happy that he didn’t have to move to the complete other side of the country.
“I didn’t want to go to Portland, so I’m glad Portland didn’t want me,” Herro told the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman on Monday. “I just don’t want to be in Portland. So it’s not personal with Portland, at all.”
Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks last month as part of a three-team deal involving the Phoenix Suns, following his request to leave the Portland Trail Blazers. He had made it clear that the Miami Heat were the only team he wanted to play for, even trying to dissuade other teams from pursuing him.
While a pairing of Lillard with Jimmy Butler in Miami would have been exciting, such a deal never materialized. Tyler Herro was often at the center of these trade discussions, but the reported offers from the Heat to Portland were apparently not attractive enough to seal the deal.
From a basketball perspective, the Miami Heat are in a stronger position compared to the Trail Blazers. The Heat recently had a surprising run to the NBA Finals, while the Trail Blazers missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season and appear to be in a rebuilding phase. In terms of location, South Beach in Miami is quite different from Portland, Oregon.
Regardless of the trade rumors, Herro is looking forward to another season with the Heat, especially after recovering from a hand injury that sidelined him since April.
“I’m just happy to be on the court,” Herro said on Monday. “I haven’t played since April. I broke my hand, and I haven’t played since then, so I’m ready to play.”
Tyler Herro had an impressive season last year, averaging 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting nearly 38% from three-point range. It was his first season as a starter in the NBA, and he performed exceptionally well. However, despite his strong performance, there were rumors that his stock had fallen during the offseason. Herro, who is 23 years old, doesn’t understand why this narrative exists and isn’t buying into it. He particularly dismisses the idea that his absence somehow contributed to the Miami Heat’s successful postseason run.
“I mean, I don’t really know what’s changed,” Herro said. “I got hurt and obviously we went on a run. So I don’t know if that changed people’s perspectives on the way that I play or my value. Nothing’s changed. I haven’t gotten any worse. I’ve only gotten better, older, more experienced.
“And our team didn’t get better without me, we just started shooting better and making shots. We didn’t make shots all year, and I’m the best shooter on the team. So I don’t think me sitting out affected our shooting percentage. I think we just started making shots.”
