Tyler Herro is sending a clear message to the Miami Heat without even saying a word so far this offseason. That’s because his actions speak loud and clear. That message is that Herro is ready to lead the Heat, whether the front office or fan base entirely believes in him to do that or not.

After a pretty uninspiring ending to the 2024-25 NBA season, it’s clear that one of the Heat’s biggest needs revolves around an alpha leader. A star player who, when the chips are down, he can arise and carry the team on his own.

In many ways, Herro failed to be that player this past season.

Admittedly, he knows he has to be better in that respect, and it’s not something he’s shied away from. If this offseason is any indication, it appears Herro is preparing himself to take on an even bigger role this upcoming season for the Heat, one that will likely require more influence as a leader on and off the floor.

Tyler Herro has been working with Kel’el Ware

The biggest clear sign of this is that Herro was recently working out this summer with Ware.

Ware, who is coming off an up-and-down showing in the NBA Summer League, could use all the mentorship he can get, and Herro appears to be embracing the opportunity to help show him the ropes.

Even though Herro has emerged as somewhat of a polarizing player for the Heat, his work ethic and professionalism on the basketball court is nothing that has been questioned before.

He may not be the perfect star player or a premier two-way talent in the league, but effort and focus have generally never been an issue for him. And if “professionalism” is Ware’s biggest weakness, Herro is not a terrible player to learn from.

It’s great to see Herro try to take on more of a leadership role this offseason. If anything, he’s proving to the Heat that he should be considered one of the leaders of this team, and that he is doing everything to help this team take another step forward this upcoming season.

Perhaps most importantly, he may be showing the Heat that maybe he’s worth the big extension he’s eligible for on October 1.

How will Herro approach the contract extension?

That’s what I’m most interested in watching play out the rest of the offseason. Honestly, it’s the biggest indicator of what may lie ahead for the franchise. Will the Heat decide to go all-in on Herro’s future?

Will they lock themselves into this 1-2 punch of Herro and Bam Adebayo for the foreseeable future? Will they wait until next summer to negotiate a new contract with Herro? Can they possibly avoid paying him now? Would they risk losing him for nothing?

At this point, it’s almost impossible to predict how this will all play out. But there’s no question it’s one of the most interesting storylines remaining this offseason.

Herro is doing everything he can to prove himself to the Heat. This summer, he’s done so without even having to say a single word. The question is, will that be enough for Miami?