Tyler Herro was not shy about sharing his thoughts on returning to the Heat.
His status in Miami was a topic of discussion amid the trade for Damian Lillard, leaving Herro unsure if Portland would be his new home.
“I didn’t want to go to Portland, so I’m glad Portland didn’t want me … ” Herro told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I just don’t want to be in Portland. So it’s not personal with Portland, at all.”
Herro, 23, has made it clear he will stay with the team that selected him in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Many expected Herro to be the centerpiece of the blockbuster deal, but the longtime Trail Blazers guard was instead traded to the Bucks.
Herro is looking forward to renewing his role with the Heat.
“I’m just happy to be on the court,” he said. “I haven’t played since April. I broke my hand and I haven’t played since then, so I’m ready to play.”
Herro has dealt with fans questioning his talent and contributions to the team, especially as the trade rumors swirled.
He averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, while shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range during the regular season.
The shooting guard recognized that some may have seen a correlation between him injuring his hand in Game 1 of the Heat’s first-round series against the Bucks and Miami making a run as the No. 8 seed to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Nuggets, without him.
“I mean, I don’t really know what changed,” he said following a Heat camp session at Florida Atlantic University. “I got hurt and obviously we went on a run. So I don’t know if that changed people’s perspectives on the way that I play or my value. Nothing has changed. I haven’t gotten any worse. I’ve only gotten better, older, more experienced.”
The sharpshooter doesn’t believe his absence was the reason for the Heats’ postseason run.
“And our team didn’t get better without me, we just started shooting better and making shots,” Herro said. “We didn’t make shots all year. And I’m the best shooter on the team. So I don’t think with me sitting out affected our shooting percentage. I just think we started making shots.”