Tyler Herro has been the name most closely linked to a Damian Lillard trade between the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
Herro’s position on being included in a deal for Lillard is a matter of public record at this point.
The problem is – Portland doesn’t want Herro. This squad already has Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe. That is enough guys whose primary contribution is being a volume scorer.
Because of that, a third team needs to be roped into the equation.
Who might that third team ultimately end up being?
According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, don’t sleep on the Toronto Raptors.
“The Toronto Raptors can also be added to the list of teams that have expressed exploratory interest in acquiring Herro as part of multi-team trade talks between the Blazers and Heat involving Lillard,” he reported this week.
On its face, Herro to Toronto would make a lot of sense. The Raptors as presently constructed could use a reliable scoring threat. The team boasts a lot of length and offense/defensive versatility, but not a ton of pure offense.
That is what Herro brings to the table. Last season he averaged 20.1 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting from the field and 37.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
One season earlier, he averaged 20.7 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 39.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc en route to Sixth Man of the Year honors.
While Herro doesn’t fit what the Blazers are looking for, he could be a productive member somewhere else. Plus, he looks to be in great shape nowadays – recent photos have him looking absolutely jacked.
Herro doesn’t seem too bothered by the trade talks. He is continuing to put in work in the gym, and he and his girl seem to be having a great offseason.
One way or another, Herro will be playing somewhere next season.
What an offseason for the Indianapolis Colts. https://t.co/SfRGMhG1As
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 15, 2023
It could be Miami – or it could be somewhere else.
Will the Raptors ultimately step up and make a deal for Herro happen when it’s all said and done? Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
