Tyler Herro's return, the Miami Heat's new rotation and other keys vs Mavericks

The day has finally come for the 11-6 Miami Heat, as Tyler Herro is set to make his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.

He will definitely be monitored without his usual minute dosage in this one, but it'll be good to see him back out there, getting acclimated with the new system, and getting his first run next to stand-out guard Norman Powell.

Let's get into some keys tonight, which all revolve around one guy:

1. What to expect in Tyler Herro's season debut?

Apr 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

I'm expecting a heavy off-ball Tyler Herro in his first game back tonight. While guys like Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell get into their usual on-ball role around the perimeter, I'd expect Herro to be rather condensed off the catch, much like we've seen with Powell this year. It doesn't matter that he's been sidelined for some time, since defenses will still send doubles at him on paint touches and remain glued to him on the three-point line. There's a balance between getting him back into a rhythm, and forcing things totally onto him tonight at the expense of the "everybody eats" offense. Some threes, some assists, and some energy for this new Heat team.

2. How does the Herro insertion impact Powell?

Jan 1, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots against Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Before the season, it was expected that Powell would have an insane workload offensively until Herro returned. If Powell heads to the bench, the team's scoring chances will crumble. Right? That was wrong, as guys like Jaime Jaquez Jr have emerged into a never ending scoring punch in this Heat rotation. While that's been huge, it still feels like staggering Herro and Powell will put a ton of pressure on defenses, with an elite scorer and shooter on the floor at all times. Bigger than that, the impact this return has on Powell comes in their minutes together. He has been able to find scoring space consistently, and that spacing is about to open up even more.

3. The rotation result.

Nov 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) scores against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The rotation tonight remains in the air with the statuses of Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic undetermined at the moment. But even if both of those guys don't play, there's still decisions to be made which shows the true depth of this team. Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell should remain in their places due to their consistent effectiveness in their role, as Herro slots in-between them. Bam Adebayo is an obvious front-court shoe-in, but it'll come down to going small with Pelle Larsson or big with Kel'el Ware. The answer seems to be Larsson, as that could potentially be the holder for Wiggins' return. A bench of Dru Smith, Simone Fontecchio, Jaime Jaquez Jr, and Kel'el Ware tonight with Powell or Herro slotting in will most likely be the move.