Like every other team around the NBA, the Miami Heat are currently at a standstill due to the novel coronavirus.
Still, the pause in action does not mean that speculation about the team’s two exciting rookies cannot occur.
In a recent mailbag article, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel expressed his belief that Tyler Herro could soon replace Kendrick Nunn on the Heat’s starting unit.
“Well, there certainly is a lot to unwrap there,” Winderman wrote. “For now, let’s move past the reliable big alongside Bam Adebayo, because either Kelly Olynyk will opt in to the final year on his contract or there is the option of Meyers Leonard on a one-year deal. Plus, with the ongoing ability to work with Chris Silva and Kyle Alexander (who currently is on a two-way deal), I doubt such an ancillary role would be prioritized elsewhere. As for Kendrick Nunn, he is a nominal point guard as it is, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo the facilitators in the starting lineup. I think the biggest issue among those you raise is whether Kendrick Nunn projects as a long-term starter. Certainly this season, the first-five chemistry has worked when Leonard also has been in the lineup. And there certainly have been times when Heat teams and Pat Riley teams have operated beyond their best five among the first five. In the end, I would not be surprised if Tyler Herro is the eventual starter, likely as soon as next season. Then the Heat will have to decide how/if Kendrick fits with the second unit. So it’s not necessarily a point guard issue, but rather getting to the most reliable first five.”
Herro sliding in as the eventual starter would make quite a bit of sense. While Nunn has started 62 games this season and Herro has started just six, it already seems clear that Herro is destined to become a major figure in the league.
At just 20 years old, Herro has shown supreme confidence with the ability to match. He is currently averaging 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
While Nunn is undoubtedly one of the better feel-good stories of the season, there is likely some uncertainty when it comes to how much further the 24-year-old can go before he reaches his full potential.
If Nunn were to be moved to the second unit, chances are good he would become one of the more valuable rotational scorers in the league. He has proven the ability to score in bunches and would probably serve as a primary scoring option within the second unit.
Nunn is averaging 15.6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game this season.
Surely, the situation is highly fluid. What matters most is that the Heat have two incredibly promising young guards who figure to be a part of the team’s success for many years to come.
