Herro won't rush extension: I'm better than some guys who've gotten paid
Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro is confident in his value to the Miami Heat.
Heading into his fourth NBA season, Herro is eligible for an extension on his rookie contract, which can only be signed until Oct. 17. The 22-year-old doesn't seem keen on giving the Heat a hometown discount.
"There's players across the league that have gotten paid who I know I'm better than. So it's got to be the right number," he said, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Herro averaged career highs of 20.7 points and four assists in 66 contests last season, playing in a reserve role for all but 10 of them.
Several players from Herro's 2019 draft class signed rookie-scale extensions this summer. Potential points of comparison include RJ Barrett's four-year deal worth up to $120 million with the New York Knicks and Keldon Johnson's four-year, $80-million deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
Herro says he and the Heat engaged in extension talks when the window to negotiate opened in July but realized they weren't close to reaching an agreement. He then left the discussions for his agent and the team to sort through.
"If (the extension) is not ready, I continue to play my game and figure it out next summer," he said.
If Herro and the Heat don't reach an agreement by Oct. 17, he'll become a restricted free agent July 1, at which point Miami would need to match any offer sheet he receives or let him walk.
Despite the stalled talks, the sharpshooter insists he doesn't want to leave the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2019.
"I don't want to go anywhere," Herro said. "But, like I said, it's got to make sense for my family. I'm not rushing to get anything done."