Heat Rumors: Tyler Herro, Josh Richardson's Projected Role If No Damian Lillard Trade

As the Damian Lillard to Miami saga drags on with NBA training camp right around the corner, it seems like the Miami Heat still don't have much of a backup plan for its starting point guard if it isn't able to acquire the seven-time All-Star.

It may not even choose to look outside of the organization to bring in another point guard with the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reporting that the Heat may opt for Tyler Herro or Josh Richardson to fill that role.

With the departure of Gabe Vincent in free agency, the only true point guard on Miami's roster is Kyle Lowry, who improved last season after coach Erik Spoelstra decided to move him to the bench.

Luckily for the Heat, both Herro and Richardson could serve as viable options as the lead ball handler if the Lillard deal isn't able to get done.

Last season no other player on the roster was the ball handler in the pick and roll as much as Herro, who averaged 0.93 points per possession while working in that role.

Herro ended the season as Miami's third-leading scorer, averaging 20.1 points per game in his first season as a starter. So, he's shown he's pretty capable of taking on that responsibility should Spoelstra ask him to.

As for Richardson, who signed with Miami earlier in the offseason, he may also be a pretty seamless fit given that he has a wealth of experience in the Heat's system, having the best seasons of his career in South Florida.

While he's not as great of a scoring threat as Herro, Richardson brings the type of shooting ability and defense that Spoelstra loves to see in his backcourt players. In his final season in Miami back in 2018-19, he averaged 16.6 points per game to go along with a career-high 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals.