The Los Angeles Lakers could land themselves just the talent they need to return to championship glory in 2024-25.
Eddie Bitar of FadeAway World proposed a trade that sends D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and a pair of first-round picks in 2029 and 2031 to the Miami Heat in exchange for budding All-Star talent Tyler Herro (h/t Sourav Mahanty of Athlon Sports’ Inside the Heat).
Lakers: Tyler Herro could be the Dwyane Wade or Kyrie Irving to LeBron James
Herro is exactly the type of guard that Lakers superstar LeBron James has won championships playing alongside throughout his career. Herro may not be as accomplished as Dwyane Wade or Kyrie Irving, but he has the confidence and offensive arsenal to be the type of secondary scorer next to James who can hit clutch shots in big moments and get his against the premier perimeter defenders in the Association.
Having already been to the Finals in 2020, and on a Heat roster that made it back in 2023, the Wisconsin native has the playoff experience to be a harmonious complementary piece playing in concert with James and Anthony Davis. Last season, Herro put up a career-high 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 39.6 percent shooting from three-point range.
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Herro would enhance the Lakers’ offense more than D’Angelo Russell & Company
The Kentucky product would be an elite free-throw shooter for the Lakers to lean on late in games, exemplified by his career 87.2 percent clip at the charity stripe, and would be an upgrade from Russell from the standpoint that he gets to his spots and shoots early in the shot clock and can pile on points without requiring many dribbles.
The Lakers would be giving up playmaking by moving off of Russell and the 6.2 assists he’s given them in his time in the purple and gold. Nonetheless, L.A. has Gabe Vincent — a quality starting-caliber point guard — on their bench and James, who they can hand point guard duties to at any point in the game.
The Lakers’ window to win a championship is not wide open, as James is approaching his age-40 season. A player like Herro, who has the upside to blossom into a player akin to Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker, would be a worthy investment for a Lakers franchise whose front office has openly declared that they are looking to establish “sustained Lakers excellence” with their ensuing moves.
Herro has yet to scratch the surface as a volume scorer and playmaker in the league. He would be a perfect lethal third star and incumbent franchise player to build with for James’ swan song and transition out of the league, as well as next to Davis in the next chapter of the storied franchise’s run.
