Q: Ira, can Tyler Herro’s extension become Jimmy Season II? – Jerry, Miami.
A: Totally different personalities and at totally different stages of their careers. Jimmy Butler did not have to consider the fallout of petulance because he already was known as petulant. At the latter stage of his career, it’s not as if he had to consider future contracts down the road. This will not be Tyler’s final contract, and this might not be his final team. Highly doubt bridges will be burned. And Tyler already has stated that he accepts that the upshot might be being deferred until next summer. So, no, in now way expecting Jimmy 2.0.
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Q: The thought of paying the same players more on top of where we are and expecting the result to change seems unrealistic. Seems like management might have lost their magic touch. – Jim, Mooresville, N.C.
A: But it’s not the same. Now there is Norm Powell to alleviate some of the burden on Tyler Herro. Now there is a chance for Bam Adebayo to start a season at power forward, to see if Kel’el Ware is up to the challenge at center. And now, at least for now, there is the chance to have Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell from the start of the season. This is not the same roster that started last season.
Q: I love my Heat team, and I will always support them through thick and thin. Yet at what point does this organization just admit that if Tyler Herro is our best offensive player that we will be destined for mediocrity? If we had swapped Tyler for a proven top-tier scorer like Donovan Mitchell, or Kevin Durant years ago instead of prioritizing developing and paying Tyler Herro I think we may have won one if not both of our finals runs and maybe even more. – Kevin, Savannah, Ga.
A: First, you can’t simply trade your not-as-good player for a better player, so Donovan Mitchell for Tyler Herro would have been an overreach. As for Kevin Durant, the Heat had been relatively candid in previous years that if Durant could be had, Herro would be dealt. Further, I think you can win with Tyler as your leading scorer. The problem is whether that scoring is enough to offset his defensive shortcomings.