After an offseason filled with hope in South Beach, the Miami Heat enter training camp with virtually the same identity they had three months ago. Looked at by some as the frontrunner to land seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard this summer, the Heat missed out on adding another superstar to pair with Jimmy Butler.
Lillard would have filled the starting point guard role for the Heat had they traded for him. Instead, head coach Erik Spoelstra has to decide who he wants to be the primary ballhandler for Miami, and Tyler Herro is in the mix.
Spoelstra said that Herro won’t be the starting point guard from the beginning of the season, but the 23-year-old will be used as a ballhandler, according to Barry Jackson.
Herro has faced plenty of criticism for his lack of playoff production and his slightly down shooting numbers from a year ago have led to some questioning by Heat fans. Spoelstra says he can relate to that.
“He has experience dealing with all the noise,” Spoelstra said, via Brady Hawk. “I can relate to Tyler dealing with all that kind of noise early on in your career. It feels like early on I was dealing with something very similar to what he’s dealing with.”
Spoelstra was on the hot seat in a lot of Heat fans' minds after failing to win a championship in year one of the “Big Three” era in 2010-2011. Since then, he's led the Heat to two NBA titles and five NBA Finals appearances.
Tyler Herro's absence in the playoffs helped the Heat find other role players who could fill significant voids. Herro has to prove he can regain his form following his injury.