All offseason long, it seemed like a matter of time before Damian Lillard was going to be traded to the Miami Heat. With Tyler Herro, draft picks, and other talent to offer up, the Heat appeared to be in the driver's seat to acquire the Portland Trail Blazers' All-Star guard.

Portland, however, appeared to have no interest in bringing in Herro or even completing a trade with Miami, which led to Lillard being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. The former Sixth Man of the Year is now back with the Heat and thrilled to embark on his fifth NBA season with the organization rather than head West to play for a team that did not want him.

Heat: Tyler Herro speaks out

“I didn’t want to go to Portland, so I’m glad Portland didn’t want me,” Herro told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “I just don’t want to be in Portland. So it’s not personal with Portland, at all.”

Herro, who was drafted in the first-round by the Heat in 2019, has been one of Miami's most impactful talents through the years. Still just 23-years old, there is plenty of room for him to grow offensively and help aid Miami in their championship journey.

Entering the 2023-24 season, the young shooting guard is not focused on other teams. His main goal is to help the Heat get back to the NBA Finals and prove all of those who have doubted him wrong, including the Trail Blazers.

“I’m just happy to be on the court,” Herro continued. “I haven’t played since April. I broke my hand and I haven’t played since then, so I’m ready to play.”

In a total of 67 games with the Heat last season, Herro averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range. He's undoubtedly one of his team's top scoring options and would have made a significant impact in the NBA Finals if it wasn't for a broken hand.

Given his contributions in Miami through the years, it was quite shocking to see that Portland did not have interest in Herro during trade discussions involving Lillard. Now playing with a chip on his shoulder and having something to prove, the Heat guard will get a chance to face the team that did not want him on February 27 in Portland.