NBA teams are monitoring a Miami Heat All-Star amid an ongoing contract negotiation. Jimmy Butler’s move to the Golden State Warriors could predict how it all plays out.
It’s been a frustrating offseason for teams looking to acquire high-level talent. Jonathan Kuminga will likely remain a Warrior, Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to be staying in Milwaukee, and LeBron James will probably stay a Laker at the start of the 2025-26 season.
Teams have now turned their attention to Miami, where another All-Star talent could become available. Butler’s time with the Heat may give them hope.
Tyler Herro was an All-Star with the Heat in 2025. He is attempting to secure around $50 million a year from the Heat as he becomes eligible for an extension.
He currently earns $31 million per year. However, Mikal Bridges secured a $150 million deal with the New York Knicks, and Cam Thomas is demanding a $30 million salary from the Brooklyn Nets, despite neither having made the All-Star game in their careers.
Bridges set the market for Herro, so it’s reasonable for him to ask for more. The Heat now face a pivotal decision.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints wrote, “Tyler Herro becomes eligible for a three-year extension worth near $150 million with the Miami Heat in October before the start of the 2025-26 season.
“This is a situation teams are keeping an eye on, as Pat Riley has always been cautious with giving out extensions (see Jimmy Butler’s situation for details).
“A decision to extend or not to extend Herro will tell the tale of how the Heat view themselves in the East.”
The Heat’s unwillingness to negotiate with Butler, who led them to two NBA Finals, means he is now a Golden State Warrior. Butler wanted a two‑year extension worth around $113 million in the summer of 2024. Miami had no interest in entering negotiations.
The fallout was messy. Butler requested a trade in January. Later in the month, the Heat suspended Butler three times for what they labelled “conduct detrimental to the team.” Butler reportedly missed a team flight and left shootaround early.
Pat Riley, the Heat’s President of Basketball Operations, said that the dispute had gotten “ugly”. He eventually granted Butler’s trade request.
Herro is 10 years younger than Butler, and doesn’t have the extensive injury history of his former teammate. He also lacks Butler’s proven track record of playoff performances and the goodwill from the team after leading them to their most successful era since LeBron James.
If Riley decides Herro isn’t worth the extension, or wants to maintain Miami’s salary cap space to land a big-name free agent, we could be headed down a similar road. Expect trade offers to come flying down to Miami if a deal doesn’t get done.
