SI

Tyler Herro OK With Heat Recycling Jimmy Butler's Number After 'How Things Transpired'

Ryan Phillips

Tyler Herro is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists for the Miami Heat during the 2024-25 season.
Tyler Herro is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists for the Miami Heat during the 2024-25 season. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Tyler Herro doesn't seem to be missing Jimmy Butler too much.

On February 6, the Heat traded Butler to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a return headlined by Andrew Wiggins. The complicated five-team trade ended a long saga where Butler had asked for a trade, and later getting suspended multiple times by Miami while trying to work his way to a new team.

Wiggins has played two games for the Heat since his arrival and has taken Butler's old number, 22. It appears Butler's antics this season led Herro to believe it's not a big deal that Wiggins took his old teammate's jersey.

"Jimmy is definitely a Heat legend, but I feel like with how things transpired over the last couple of months, I think 22 can be worn again," Herro said when asked about the abrupt number switch.

That makes a lot of sense. Butler's repeated absences and public drama with the Heat almost certainly wore on his teammates.

Herro made his first All-Star team this season and has asserted himself as the Heat's leader. He is averaging career-highs in points (23.9), rebounds (5.5), assists (5.5) and minutes (35.6) during the 2024-25 campaign.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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