MIAMI – As Miami Heat star Tyler Herro returned to practice on Thursday after missing the last 15 games with a ribs injury, his status for Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks has likely been revealed. With rumors speculating when the Heat guard in Herro will return, it looks like the answer has been solved by the injury report.

Miami is listing Herro as “probable” for Friday's game as the team travels to take on the Hawks, marking a significant point in time for the guard who's missed not just the last 15 games with the injury, but has been absent for 45 games this year.

He would miss the first 17 games of the season due to an offseason ankle injury, then 13 outings with a toe contusion, and with the injury that was listed as “Right Costochondral; Injury to the Ribs.” In terms of his role with the team in his first game since Jan. 15, he was asked Thursday afternoon if he'll come off the bench, which is how he returned from the toe contusion on Jan. 6, but then started after that contest.

“I don't know, we'll see what happens if I'm able to play tomorrow. Whatever minutes I get, I'm just happy to be out here again, playing with my teammates and playing a game I love ultimately,” Herro said.

Herro would say to ClutchPoints that he fractured three ribs, and while he played three games off Torodol shots, to manage the pain, he wasn't going to play the entire season like that, leading to the absence.

In the 11 games he's played, Herro has averaged 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Heat's Erik Spoelstra on Tyler Herro coming back to the rotation

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) brings the ball up the court against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Kaseya Center.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Article Continues Below

While the Heat are coming off the All-Star break, the team is still looking for a level of consistency, as injuries have been one issue plaguing the team, like with Herro's continued absence. Whatever role he's in when Herro comes back, there's no denying the offensive impact he brings with head coach Erik Spoelstra saying how “encouraging” it was to see the guard back at practice at full go.

“But it was very encouraging to have Tyler here in practice. You know, he had done everything he needed to do in the last few weeks to prepare for this. And it's encouraging to have him back in the mix. We're all excited about it,” Spoelstra said.

With 26 games left in the season, Spoelstra will look to find ways to get the best out of Herro, especially alongside Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo, as the trio has only played together in eight games this season. While that means less playing time for any player on the roster, Spoelstra would say there are “levels of sacrifice” that need to be made.

“Let's not forget, Tyler's a talent,” Spoelstra said. “We need to maximize our rotations, we need our talent out there; we'll have to put it together fast. We know what our identity is on both sides of the floor; our guys have the buy-in to what we're trying to do. There will be some levels of sacrifice throughout the rotation. It has to be that way if all the guys are available.”

At any rate, Miami is 29-27, putting them eighth in the Eastern Conference as Herro looks to officially return on Friday in Atlanta.