The Miami Herald’s Heat mailbag is here to answer your offseason questions. If you weren’t able to ask this time, send your questions for future mailbags via X (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email them to achiang@miamiherald.com.
@KellyLinters22: With Oklahoma City and Indiana in the NBA Finals, do you see the Heat changing their approach with the new CBA in trying to get away from having two to three max players and instead signing four or five good players? Also, do you think the Heat should punt the Tyler Herro extension until next summer?
Anthony Chiang: It’s really hard to have three max players and still put a quality roster around them while also avoiding the punitive aprons these days because of the new collective bargaining agreement. The new CBA almost forces teams to build a more well-rounded roster around one or two max players if front offices also want the salary cap flexibility that comes with staying below the apron thresholds.
Just look at the two teams that made the NBA Finals this season. The Indiana Pacers have two players on max salaries this season (Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam) and the Oklahoma City Thunder have just one player on a max salary this season (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
This is one of the reasons why the Heat’s decision on a potential Tyler Herro extension is so complicated. Yes, Herro is one of the Heat’s best players and is coming off the best season of his NBA career. But is Herro worth the maximum of $50 million per season that the Heat can offer him as part of an extension this offseason? With Bam Adebayo already signed to a max deal, signing Herro to a $50 million per season deal would make it hard to add a third max player while also avoiding the crippling salary-cap apron thresholds.
Here’s what to know about Herro’s situation: Starting Oct. 1, Herro is eligible to tack on a three-year, $149.7 million extension to the two seasons ($31 million for the 2025-26 season and $33 million for the 2026-27 season) he already has left on his contract. If an agreement is not reached on an extension by Oct. 20, Herro would be eligible to sign a four-year, $206.9 million extension during the 2026 offseason. He is supermax eligible (five years, $380 million) if he is selected for an All-NBA team next season.
The Heat definitely has some things to figure out in the coming weeks as the busy part of the NBA offseason approaches.
@biscaynemayne: If the Heat don’t get Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo is not attained at all, what do they do this offseason and what is their direction for the long term?
Anthony: Unless another superstar becomes available who the Heat is interested in, this offseason could just include some minor moves around the edges for Miami in the scenario of not landing Durant or Antetokounmpo.
The Heat is currently expected to have significant cap space in the 2026 offseason and could even open max cap space in the 2026 offseason by shedding some salary. In other words, the 2026 offseason will be the Heat’s direction if it can’t make a big move this summer.
@justinrub1n: Going forward, do you think the Heat will keep Tyler Herro at point guard and give him both playmaking and initiating duties? Or find Herro a backcourt partner who can facilitate the offense and make Herro more of a shooting guard again?
Anthony: Herro’s best and most efficient stretch this season came when he was playing in more of an off-ball role when Jimmy Butler and others were initiating most of the Heat’s offense. Once Butler was traded, Herro’s efficiency dipped as his usage rate spiked. The Heat then went back to playing Herro off the ball more frequently and his efficiency again improved. So, yes, I think the Heat would like to find Herro a backcourt partner who can help take some of the ball-handling pressure off Herro and soak up some of the usage rate. Terry Rozier was supposed to be one of the main guys who filled that role last season, but it didn’t go as planned.