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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Miami Heat

Speaking to reporters last week, Miami Heat star Tyler Herro summed up neatly what 2025-26 was like for him: “It’s been a long, weird, awkward season.” Indeed, now that his team is eliminated following Tuesday’s dramatic loss to the Hornets, Herro should buckle up for a long, weird, awkward offseason in which he again will be wrung through the NBA rumor mill.

It’s very possible, and maybe even likely, that Herro played his last game with Miami. Of course, that’s been said before, and yet Herro has managed to stick with the Heat through seven up-and-down seasons, even as he has frequently been the meat of multiple trade discussions for other star players.

But Miami is at a crossroads, and will need to pick a direction. The Heat already might have waited too long to deal Herro–he is entering the final year of his contract and eligible for a four-year extension worth more than $200 million this offseason–but they could yet get another crack at it. Despite his injuries, which limited him to 33 games, Herro played well enough in the second half of the year to recoup some trade value.

“He is still only 26,” one NBA executive said. “He is not going to get a max extension. And I think we know what Tyler Herro is and isn’t at this point. He’s a scorer and your No. 2 option, maybe No. 3 on a very good team. I don’t think anyone is knocking down Miami’s door to get the guy, but whatever Miami does this summer, he is going to have to be part of what they send out in a trade.”

NBA Rumors Will Tie Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami Heat

Herro will be a major piece of whatever package the Miami Heat might offer to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will be the star of the NBA rumor mill this summer. Much like when the Heat and Trail Blazers engaged on Damian Lillard trade talks, though, the Bucks are not going to look at Herro as a face-of-the-franchise type.

The Heat will have to include younger assets to have a chance at  an Antetokounmpo trade: a package built around, say, Herro, Davion Mitchell, Kel’el Ware, last year’s first-rounder Kasparas Jakucionis and whomever the Heat-Bucks were to pick in the lottery in this year’s draft. If the Antetokounmpo bidding gets heavy, it might be necessary to either include a future first-round pick (2030 or 2032), or to take on Myles Turner’s salary for ax expiring deal (if Andrew Wiggins opts in, for example).

A Warning on Giannis Antetokounmpo-Miami Rumors

One NBA executive did offer a warning on the Heat and Giannis Antetokounmpo, though: “Look, for the last few years, (Heat president) Pat Riley has gotten in front of the media and said they’re going to go after big, championship players. And for the last few years, they get Kyle Lowry or Terry Rozier or Norm Powell. They could get Giannis but they’ve sort of overpromised in the last few years.”

While trading for Antetokounmpo is obviously Option 1 for the Heat, that does not mean that Herro will necessarily wind up in Milwaukee. Any Antetokounmpo trade is likely to be a multi-team behemoth, and Herro could be passed along to any number of places.

NBA Rumors Will Circulate Around Tyler Herro Beyond Bucks

If the Nets continue to rebuild and collect draft picks, they could take on Herro with a future pick also going to Brooklyn. Teams that hope to compete next year but need scoring punch–Utah (Danny Ainge has long eyed Herro), the Pelicans, the Mavericks, the Clippers, the Suns–are potential suitors, too.

Coincidentally, the Blazers might not be a bad Herro fit, but don’t bet on that.