Tyler Herro is confident in the Miami Heat’s potential to compete for an NBA title in the upcoming season, despite the team’s relatively quiet offseason. In a recent interview with Forbes, the 24-year-old guard expressed his belief that the Heat have what it takes to be contenders, emphasizing the importance of health and internal development.
Herro’s Confidence in the Heat’s Title Contention
When asked if the Miami Heat should still be viewed as top title contenders, Herro responded with a straightforward, “I don’t see why not. We have everything we need.”
Herro’s confidence stems from the team’s core players, including himself, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and the newly healthy Terry Rozier. He highlighted that last season’s struggles, particularly the injuries that sidelined Butler during their first-round playoff exit against the Boston Celtics, hampered their performance. However, with a fully healthy roster, Herro believes the Heat can make a strong push in the Eastern Conference.
Leveraging Heat Culture
The Heat’s core group has the potential to challenge any defense in the league. Herro emphasized that maintaining health will be crucial, as last season saw the core play in only about 71% of their available games. Despite other Eastern Conference teams making significant external upgrades, Herro believes that the Heat’s focus on internal growth and resilience could be just as 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,” Herro said. “It may look a little different, but we have young guys that we hope will continue to get better.”
Herro’s Drive to Improve
Herro, known for his scoring ability, is focused on improving his efficiency while maintaining or increasing his scoring output. Last season, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, despite being limited to 42 games due to injuries. He ranked in the 90th percentile for points per 75 possessions, but his true shooting percentage was around the league average. Herro is determined to stay healthy and play a key role in the team’s success.
“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,” Herro noted.
As the new season approaches, the Heat are poised to prove that their focus on internal improvements can lead them to the championship they’ve been chasing during the Butler era. Despite not yet winning a title since Butler’s arrival, the Heat have demonstrated their status as serious contenders with multiple NBA Finals appearances since 2020.
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