Tyler Herro Returns to Form for Heat, But Says He’s Still Finding His Footing
MIAMI - Tyler Herro is back, and if you’ve watched any of the Miami Heat’s recent games, you’d be forgiven for thinking he never left.
After missing time due to offseason ankle surgery, Herro has re-entered the lineup looking every bit like the offensive weapon Miami has come to rely on. In his first three games back, Herro is averaging 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting a scorching 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep. Those are eye-popping numbers for any player, let alone someone coming off an extended layoff.
But ask Herro or head coach Erik Spoelstra, and they’ll tell you-this is still a work in progress.
Asked Erik Spoelstra about Tyler Herro mentioning it could be a few more weeks to get that explosiveness off the injured foot.
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 1, 2025
Would say he hasn’t noticed it himself and how it’s a testament to the work he put in to get back.
Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/sf2CKSjbnH
“I haven't noticed,” Spoelstra said when asked if Herro has shown any limitations since returning. “I mean, I'm sure he wants to feel like he's 100% physically, mentally, emotionally, and with his movement and everything.
But I think he's moving great. It’s a testament to how hard he works.”
Spoelstra emphasized that Herro’s full-speed approach to rehab and training has made a big difference. “Behind the scenes, he's doing things full speed,” Spoelstra continued.
“That allows him to come back and be ready. It’s hard to replicate that kind of training if you're not scrimmaging or playing in games.
Then all of a sudden, everybody else has been, and you get thrown out there. I think he made that look a lot easier than what it actually is.”
On the court, Herro hasn’t just been efficient-he’s been aggressive. He’s getting to his spots, playing off the catch, and making quick reads, all while trying to get back into full game rhythm.
“Just trying to play more off the catch,” Herro said after the Heat’s recent win over the Bucks. “I did that last year as well, and that’s what I’m doing right now-just trying to create advantages in transition, get downhill, or get to my spotlight before the defense gets set. Then in the half court, just trying to make the right play.”
But Herro’s not sugarcoating it-he’s still building back trust in that surgically repaired ankle. The numbers might say he’s back, but the feel? That’s still coming.
“I don’t feel like my foot is… like it’s healthy, but I still have to strengthen it and feel fully comfortable jumping off it and exploding off it,” Herro said. “So, it’s still a process. Like I said last game, it’s gonna be a process for a couple of weeks until I can fully feel comfortable.”
That kind of honesty gives you a window into where Herro is mentally. He’s producing at a high level, but he’s not content. He knows there’s another gear once he’s fully confident in his body again.
And it’s not just Herro returning to the fold. Miami has been working other key players back from injury, including Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins.
Tyler Herro would speak about effectively finding his spots and how he can improve on that in the near future.
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 27, 2025
Would also talk about the process with his foot and how it’ll be a “couple of weeks until I can fully feel comfortable.” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/vsxJAVo0Gy
With multiple moving pieces, Spoelstra has had to get creative with lineups and rotations. That’s nothing new for the Heat, who’ve made a habit of adapting on the fly over the years, but it does mean that cohesion is still a work in progress.
Still, at 13-7, the Heat are in a solid position as they wrap up their current homestand with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. After that, it’s a two-game road trip starting Wednesday in Dallas.
For Herro, each game is another step toward full strength. And if this version of him is what he looks like at 80 or 90 percent, then Heat fans have every reason to be excited about what’s coming when he’s finally all the way back.