[Saba Sports News] Damian Lillard wasn’t the sole franchise player linked to the Miami Heat during the offseason; however, the team didn’t express as much interest in the alternative option. Bradley Beal, the former Washington Wizards star, was traded to the Phoenix Suns in June. While the Heat were reportedly considering acquiring his services, they ultimately decided against it before he was traded.
The decision made by team president Pat Riley and others was largely influenced by their hopes for a potential deal involving Damian Lillard. Additionally, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the Heat had reservations about whether Beal represented a significant upgrade over Tyler Herro. Lowe discussed Miami’s position on this matter during an episode of his “Lowe Post” podcast last week.
According to Lowe, “Based on what I’ve heard, the Heat assessed the situation and concluded that Bradley Beal, who is seven years older than Tyler Herro, isn’t $30 million better than Tyler Herro in terms of future potential. They simply didn’t believe that the upgrade was justified.”
Bradley Beal is an established All-Star player with some notable postseason performances in his career. However, he has faced challenges in maintaining good health recently, as he hasn’t played in more than 60 games in any of the last four seasons.
It’s also worth noting that Tyler Herro’s salary is significantly lower than Beal’s. The Heat guard is set to earn $93 million in salary over the next three seasons, whereas Beal will earn $151 million during that same period, which is nearly $60 million more than Herro.
When comparing the two players, it’s possible that Herro could follow a career trajectory similar to Beal’s going forward. Both are shooting guards capable of scoring 20 points or more on any given night.
Last season, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 50 games for the Wizards, while Herro posted averages of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 67 games for the Heat.