Heat's Tyler Herro Aiming to Start Next Season After Winning Sixth Man of the Year

Despite excelling as a sixth man this past season, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro isn't satisfied with his role.

When asked if his goal is to transition into becoming a starter, the 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year responded, "Yeah, for sure."

Herro was the league's leading scorer off the bench and averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists to help lead Miami to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite seeming to be a perfect fit as a sixth man, the 22-year-old explained that he believes he's proved himself to be capable of a starting position.

"In some way, I would like to start," Herro said. "I think it's my fourth year, so I think I've earned it, and we'll see what happens."

Herro struggled to carry his regular-season success to the playoffs before the Heat were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He averaged just 12.6 points while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from beyond the arc. Herro also picked up a groin injury that sidelined him for three games.

"The playoffs for me were kind of a weird ride," Herro said. "Ups and downs throughout the whole thing, but I think it was a learning curve for me. ... It motivates me, it gets me better and teaches me what I need to work on to get better, and next time I'm in that situation I'll be more prepared and better."

Herro is eligible for a substantial contract extension worth up to $186 million over five years this offseason. The Heat have until October to make a decision on whether to sign him to a new deal. If Herro doesn't receive an extension, he'll become a restricted free agent after the 2022-23 campaign.