The Miami Heat entered the 2025-26 NBA season with high expectations, fueled by a revamped roster featuring newcomers like Norman Powell and rookie standout Kel’el Ware. However, as the calendar turns to late December, the narrative surrounding the team has been dominated by a familiar and frustrating theme: the availability of star guard Tyler Herro.
The frustration reached a boiling point this week during the Heat’s crucial matchup against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Despite traveling with the team on their three-game road trip, the decision to keep Herro sidelined for the Sunday, December 21st clash—and subsequently the December 23rd game against Toronto—has left fans and analysts questioning both the severity of his injury and the team’s management of its leading perimeter threat.
The “Toe Contusion” That Won’t Go Away
Tyler Herro’s season has been a stop-and-go affair. After missing the first month of the campaign recovering from offseason ankle surgery, Herro returned to showcase why he is vital to Miami’s offense. In the six games he has played, he averaged a blistering 23.2 points per game on 50.5% shooting and 40.5% from beyond the arc.
However, a “simple” toe contusion suffered on December 3rd against the Dallas Mavericks has turned into a month-long saga. After missing two games, Herro attempted a comeback against the Orlando Magic on December 9th, reportedly taking a numbing shot (Toradol) to play. The results were concerning: while he scored 20 points, he shot 0-for-6 from three-point range and admitted afterward that he “didn’t feel right.”
“It hasn’t really gotten better,” Herro told reporters. “I probably shouldn’t have practiced… I’m just trying to control the swelling and the inflammation.”
Since that attempted return, Herro has missed five consecutive games. The frustration stems from the “will-he-won’t-he” nature of his status; he traveled to Brooklyn, Boston, and New York with the team, implying a return was imminent, only to be ruled out shortly before tip-off in each contest.
Impact on the Court: A Losing Slide
The Heat’s performance in Herro’s absence has been jarring. After a strong 11-6 start to the season while he was recovering from surgery, the team has plummeted, losing seven of their last eight games.
| Category | With Herro (Last 6 Games) | Without Herro (Recent Stretch) |
| Record | 3-3 | 1-7 |
| Offensive Rating | Top 10 | 15th |
| 3PT Percentage | 38.5% | 34.2% |
In the 132-125 loss to the Knicks, the Heat simply lacked the secondary playmaking and gravity that Herro provides. While Norman Powell (24.1 PPG) and Kel’el Ware (23.0 PPG over the last 20 games) have stepped up scoring-wise, the team lacks a “closer” who can create his own shot when the defense tightens in the fourth quarter.
Roster Attrition: Not Just Herro
Part of the frustration for head coach Erik Spoelstra is that the Herro “decision” is happening in a vacuum of other injuries. The Heat are currently operating with a skeleton crew:
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Nikola Jovic: Out with a significant elbow contusion and laceration.
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Terry Rozier: Currently away from the team.
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Pelle Larsson: Sidelined with a sprained ankle.
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Davion Mitchell: Playing through a left ankle sprain.
The lack of backcourt depth has forced rookie Kasparas Jakučionis into heavy minutes. While Jakučionis has flashed potential, asking a rookie to lead the offense at MSG against Jalen Brunson is a tall order.
What’s Next for Miami?
The Heat (15-14) return home to the Kaseya Center to face Toronto, but the cloud over Herro’s return remains. Recent MRIs have reportedly shown “no progress” on the inflammation in his big toe, a specialized injury for a player whose game relies on explosive movement and “stop-on-a-dime” shooting.
The “decision” to keep him out against the Knicks was likely a cautious move by the training staff to prevent a long-term compensatory injury, but with the Heat falling toward the Play-In tournament spots, the patience of the fan base is wearing thin.
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