The Brooklyn Nets reportedly would want to be compensated in order to take on Tyler Herro’s contract in a three-team trade that would send Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat.
Ian Begley on WFAN says “Nets want to be compensated if they are taking on Tyler Herro” 👀
— Prince (@princengy) July 3, 2023
Lillard, who reportedly is asking to be traded to Miami and nowhere else, requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
The Heat would likely need to move off of Herro – one of the team’s better trade assets – to make a deal happen. This is where Brooklyn comes into play.
If Portland moves Lillard, it likely is entering a rebuilding phase centered around guard Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Blazers also have two solid young guards in Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe (both former first-round picks).
That makes Herro much less attractive to Portland in a trade, as the team would have a bit of a logjam in its backcourt. Not only that, but Herro is due a hefty contract over the next four seasons.
Last offseason, Herro and the Heat agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2026-27 season.
Brooklyn could be a third team that is involved in a Lillard deal with the Heat, as the Nets have draft capital they could move from the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades this past season.
However, if the Nets want to be compensated for taking on Herro’s contract, Miami may have to give up even more assets than it would like for Lillard.
It puts the Heat in a tricky situation. Presumably, the team would like to receive something in return for Herro in this deal rather than have to attach a draft pick or player to his contract. However, it appears the Nets aren’t fond of potentially paying Herro an average of $30 million per season over the next four seasons.
Miami doesn’t have to be in a rush to acquire Lillard, but the team certainly wants to get it done after losing Gabe Vincent and Max Strus this offseason.
During the 2022-23 regular season, Herro averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He could certainly help the Nets contend for a playoff spot in the 2023-24 season and beyond, but they don’t seem to value him as highly as they might if his contract looked different.
