Bulls Reportedly Attempted to Trade for Miami Heat's Tyler Herro

Before the February trade deadline closed, the Chicago Bulls had one more stunning idea in the back pocket — and it was a big one that didn't pan out.

According to ClutchPoints NBA reporter Brett Siegel, the Bulls were among the teams that showed interest in Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, alongside the Sacramento Kings, as the Heat explored the possibility of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago's proposed package included Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton — both acquired at the trade deadline from the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, respectively — plus protected draft assets, in a buy-low attempt on the All-Star guard.

Though the trade never materialized, the intent tells something about what the Bulls' former front office, led by Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, was planning before being dismissed.

The appeal isn't hard to see. After this season, Herro will enter the final year of his four-year, $120 million extension next season at $33 million, a contract Miami declined to extend before this season, making him a realistic trade target for a team with cap flexibility.

Despite missing most of the season with injuries around the left foot and ankle, Herro returned to post 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game across 33 games, shooting 48% from the field, 37.8% from three and 91.7% from the free-throw line. Miami's season ended Tuesday in a 127-126 overtime loss to the Hornets, which only adds fuel to offseason speculation around their roster.

The Bulls' situation heading into the offseason is complicated but not without leverage. Chicago carries a league-most $63 million in projected cap space, and the roster provides considerable room for decision-making — ten players will be free agents this summer, including Sexton, Simons, Nick Richards, Zach Collins, Leonard Miller, Yuki Kawamura, Lachlan Olbrich and Mac McClung, among others.

Simons, who averaged 15.2 points and 3.0 assists before a wrist injury ended his season after just six games, said after Sunday's finale that he'd like to stay in Chicago.

With the team's front office leadership yet to be in place, none of those decisions are getting made anytime soon. But if Miami reopens the Herro conversation this summer, the Bulls will have sufficient cap space to handle another lucrative deal, while bolstering their offseason trade competitiveness with the assets and the motivation to rebuild from zero.

The future front office will have plenty to work with. Whether they know what to do with it is the real question.