As of May 28, 2023, the Eastern Conference finals series is wrapping. Within it, the Heat and Celtics find themselves knotted at 3-3.
For the Heat, this is an unfortunate circumstance because they were up 3-0. However, one player could have changed that: Tyler Herro. But, judging by his injury status, he won’t be given the chance to prove or disprove that assumption.
This situation also raises the question, of not only Herro’s value on the Heat but what his value would be on other teams like the Chicago Bulls.
Herro’s Possible Heroics
With four seasons with the Heat, Herro has established himself as a borderline star.
As shown on Basketball Reference, he averaged 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He shot 43.9% from the field, 38.3% from the field, and 87.5% from the line.
Essentially, Herro is a solid scorer who can create his own shot from anywhere. On top of that, he’s consistent enough to be a threat on most nights.
With these characteristics in mind, Herro would be a huge help for the Bulls.
He not only stretches out the floor with his shooting being better in comparison to most of the Bulls’ roster, but he also provides an option down the stretch.
Here are some of his highlights below:
As shown above, Herro is one of those rare players that lives for the most nervous moments of NBA basketball. He may not shoot well every game, but he keeps that mentality to shoot when the game is on the line.
Having that alone already makes Herro a great possible addition to the Bulls. Instead of DeMar DeRozan taking a heavily contested mid-range shot or Zach LaVine taking a tough step-back three/jumper to win/tie the game, they could pass it to Herro who will likely be open. Also, if the defense decides to focus on Herro, one of them will likely be open as well.
Essentially, Herro’s presence on the court would make the Bulls a much more competitive team. Therefore, it seems that this move would go smoothly. That is until the reality of the trade possible trades kicks in.
The Possible Trade
After looking through a few trades, they seem to go in one direction: trading Zach LaVine for Tyler Herro and other assets.
For example, as shown in Buckley’s article “Bulls’ Hypothetical Blockbuster Trades to Shake Up NBA Offseason,” the trade would likely be displayed as follows:
-Bulls receive Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson, and two first-round picks
-Heat receive Zach LaVine
While this move or a move like it, it does seem to solve the shooting issue, but it’s risky. Again, Herro is a great addition, but LaVine is young all-star.
If the Bulls were to let go of LaVine now, they ruin their chances of winning. Herro is great on some nights, he’s been inconsistent, which is why he hasn’t been an all-star.
His role on the Heat is perfect for his play style and, for the Bulls to get the same or better production, they’ll have to do the same. It’s cool to imagine Herro being a spark off the bench for the Bulls. But they don’t seem to have the assets to make it happen.
The Final Assessment
Again, Herro is a really good player, great at times, but he isn’t consistent enough to fill in for a player like LaVine.
If the Bulls can find a way to get Herro without giving up a player like LaVine, they should immediately take the offer. If not, they shouldn’t try to make the blockbuster deal and continue to search for shooters on the Heat or elsewhere.
Stay tuned for more NBA content, including midseason moves, contract updates, and more pieces about every team.
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