Tyler Herro to Heat: Miami's Current Roster After 2019 NBA Draft
The Miami Heat just added a three-point gunner, as Kentucky's Tyler Herro was selected with the No. 13 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft.
Herro averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a freshman. He was, at times, Kentucky's lone threat beyond the three-point arc, and his 35.5 three-point percentage does not adequately show his pro-ready stroke from distance.
Here is a look at how the Heat roster stacks up following the selection.
Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Herro.
Derrick Jones Jr., SF: $1.6M (2020)
Dion Waiters, SG: $13M (2021)
Duncan Robinson, F: $1M (2021)
Edrice Adebayo, C: $3M (2021)
Goran Dragic, PG: $17M (2020)
Hassan Whiteside, C: $24.6M (2020)
James Johnson, PF: $14.4M (2021)
Josh Richardson, SF: $10.5M (2022)
Justise Winslow, SF: $13M (2022)
Kelly Olynyk, C: $12.5M (2021)
Kendrick Nunn, SG: $1M (2021)
KZ Okpala, SF
Ryan Anderson, PF: $20M (2020)
Yante Maten, PF: $1M (2021)
Tyler Herro, SG: $3.2M (2023)
Duncan Robinson, F: RFA
Emanuel Terry, F: UFA
Goran Dragic, PG: Player, reportedly opted in.
Udonis Haslem, PF: UFA
"He's not just a shooter," former NBA guard Rex Chapman told Bleacher Report's Mirin Fader. "He's a basketball player. He makes basketball plays. He makes plays for other people. He's not a perfect player, but man, he's got a chance to be really good."
Entering the draft after only one year at Kentucky is a representation of how far Herro's game has come. He was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school—a good player but not someone anyone considered a one-and-done talent. Not only did Herro wind up establishing himself as a bona fide pro prospect, but he also outplayed some of the 5-star recruits John Calipari brought in with him.
His 19-point performance in the Sweet 16 against Houston arguably saved Kentucky's season.
"The biggest thing I saw in him early was just his confidence," teammate Reid Travis told the Associated Press. "I think a lot of guys have confidence but don't necessarily put the work in. But for Tyler, that's not the case. See him in the gym every night, every morning, putting up reps and shots. So you know that he's going to shine in these moments. When he gets on the biggest stage, he's calm, collected and always confident to take those shots."
Unfortunately for Herro, that was sandwiched between two games where he went a combined 5-of-22 from the field against Wofford and Auburn. The Wildcats fell short in their Elite Eight matchup against Auburn when the shots stopped falling, marking the fourth straight season Kentucky missed out on the Final Four.
Herro joins fellow Kentucky star PJ Washington in going in the first round of the draft.
The Heat may never expect Herro to reach superstardom at the next level, but he has all the makings of an NBA rotation player at the very least. His shooting and playmaking skills could earn him instant playing time off the bench; his long-term role will be determined by whether he can become a better defender than he showed at Kentucky.
The Heat severely lacked in three-point shooting at a consistent level last season, and adding Herro to the fold will fix one of their most glaring flaws. Their stellar player development record also bodes well for Herro maximizing his potential at the next level.
Salary info via Spotrac.
