No one’s name was mentioned in a Blazers Damian Lillard trade more than Tyler Herro’s over the summer and he’s since addressed all the chatter.
Every trade proposal that was talked about included Herro in a deal to get Dame to Miami, and it seemed like a sure thing for a while there.
But Herro has made it clear that the Blazers definitely wouldn’t have been his ideal and Lillard was obviously dealt to the Bucks instead anyway.
“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.”
The 23-year-old was drafted by the Heat in 2019 and was a big part of their run to the Finals last season, until he broke his hand in the first round of the playoffs against the Bucks.
Some fans and media personalities were quick to start the narrative that the team didn’t even need Herro and that he should be traded, because without him they were able to get so close to winning a championship.
“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.
“And our team didn’t get better without me, we just started shooting better and making shots. 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.”
Despite all the noise, he is looking forward to settling back into his role at Miami.
“I’m just happy to be on the court,” Herro said. “I haven’t played since April. I broke my hand and I haven’t played since then, so I’m ready to play.”
The guard averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, on 37.8 percent shooting from three during the regular season.
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