Herro: Injuries held Heat back from title contention

Tyler Herro said injuries have prevented the Miami Heat from reaching their championship potential.

"We haven't been healthy yet," Herro told Forbes' Mat Issa. "But we feel like when we do get healthy, we have a very deep team - a team that is deep enough to make a run in the East and ultimately win the NBA title."

Injuries decimated Miami last season, with Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson, Nikola Jovic, Caleb Martin, and Herro all missing significant time.

Bam Adebayo and then-rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. were the only players on the Heat roster to make at least 70 regular-season appearances.

While the team still managed to secure a playoff berth, Butler sustained an MCL sprain during the Heat's first play-in game and went on to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Miami subsequently fell in five games to the Boston Celtics in the opening round.

Herro said the Heat can make a deeper postseason run with the club's core healthy and the continued development of young pieces like Jaquez.

"It may look a little different, but we have young guys that we hope will continue to get better," Herro said. "Bam Adebayo and I are young guys who are starting to become full-fledged veterans in this league.

"Terry Rozier is healthy now and ready to compete. Then you have Jimmy Butler, who is extra motivated after not being able to play in the playoffs last season."