Despite making a big move to trade for guard Terry Rozier, the Miami Heat
may not be done.
Jared Weiss of The Athletic thinks a Jerami Grant-Tyler Herro swap, while unlikely, remains a possibility. Big move or small, Weiss believes looking for a wing would be the most paramount action for Miami to take before the trade deadline hits.
“If Miami makes a move, it seems like a big wing is the main priority,” Weiss wrote on January 24, adding:
“Jerami Grant is the one guy who makes sense, as he has a similar contract to Herro and can bring comparable scoring and shooting efficiency while filling that defensive side need. Having a logjam of young guards they can develop instead of a wing in his prime seems like the move for a Portland team descending deep into a rebuild. But Herro has so much more room to grow, and it doesn’t seem worth losing that upside.
A Herro-for-Grant swap would be highly unlikely. The two players are on similar deals — Grant signed a five-year, $160 million contract ($32 million per season average) with the Blazers in the summer of 2023 while Herro inked a four-year, $120 million extension ($30 million per season) in fall of 2022.
That’s not to say Grant wouldn’t be a solid addition to the Heat roster. Known for his clutch shots and stellar defense, there’s no doubt Grant would be a defensive upgrade over Herro.
Their offensive output is very similar; Grant has started 43 games for the Portland Trail Blazers this season and is averaging 21.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists in over 33 minutes per game. The 6-foot-7 wing is shooting 46.1% from the field and 40.3% from 3-point range.
In 29 games this season, Herro is netting 21.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, averaging 34 minutes per contest. He’s shooting 43.3% from the floor and 40.4% from beyond the arc.
