The Milwaukee Bucks’ biggest player acquisition from the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade was Tyler Herro. His future in Milwaukee, however, immediately becomes a question.
Herro arrived as a former Sixth Man of the Year and one-time All-Star with the Miami Heat. He has averaged at least 20 points and four assists per game in each of the last five seasons, giving the Bucks a proven perimeter scorer in the middle of his prime.
He likes the ball in his hands. Some of his best work comes as an on-ball creator, where he can operate as a dynamic pick-and-roll ball-handler and bend defenses with his shot-making. His ability to take care of the ball is another positive.
The question is how high that role can scale. Herro is probably best suited as a third scoring option on a championship-caliber team. In Milwaukee, he could certainly play more of a lead role, but asking him to drag this version of the Bucks back into the playoffs as the top option is a much tougher assignment.
There are questions on the other end, too. Herro lacks the size and strength to consistently hold up against bigger wings and stronger guards. He has to make up for that with positioning, effort and toughness.
Those answers will come in time. For now, the more pressing question is what his long-term future in Milwaukee looks like.
Despite just landing with the Bucks, Milwaukee is rightfully open to trading him. Herro is entering the final season of a four-year, $120 million contract that averages $30 million per year. He will make $33 million in 2026-27 before hitting the open market next summer.
Herro and his camp will almost certainly push for a raise. He is in the heart of his prime, has a long track record of production and plays the kind of offensive role that gets expensive quickly.
To get a better idea of what his next contract could look like, and whether the Bucks should be the team to pay it, let’s look at a few comparable players and the deals they are currently playing on.
Austin Reaves
Let’s start at the very top of comparisons for Herro. Austin Reaves is another combo guard who can do a little bit of everything—albeit at a better clip than Herro. He can run the pick-and-roll, spread the floor, and play better positional defense.
Though Reaves is a year older, his trajectory seems to be rising past Herro’s. Each season, he’s upped his scoring, peaking at 23.3 points per game last year.
He’s also averaged at least 5.5 assists per game in three straight seasons, something Herro has only done once in his career.
Reaves just signed a four-year, $185 million deal ($46.2 million average annual salary) with the Los Angeles Lakers. Herro’s camp will use that as leverage to get their guy paid. However, it’s an easy counterpoint that Reaves is in a different tier.
Desmond Bane
Desmond Bane is another name Herro’s camp will highlight. Bane is in year three of a five-year, $197 million deal, averaging $39.5 million annually.
Bane’s size and strength give him a defensive edge over Herro, making him a more valuable two-way contributor, especially when the playoffs arrive.
Their box score stats are similar, but the way they get to those stats is different. Where Herro is better with the ball in his hands, Bane does his damage off-ball. He can still run secondary action, but isn’t usually the lead guard.
Immanuel Quickley
The Bucks’ front office will likely respond with a counter closer to the deal Immanuel Quickley signed with the Toronto Raptors in July of 2024.
The two sides agreed to a five-year deal worth a total of $162.5 million. The contract was structured at a flat rate of $32.5 million per season. That would be a higher average annual salary than Herro is currently getting, but less than the amount he’s making in 2026-27 ($33 million).
Charting Herro’s future will require a careful balancing act for the Bucks.
They don’t own a draft pick in 2027 and thus have no incentive to fully tank. Their cupboard of draft picks is also bare in 2028, 2029, and 2030.
The Bucks need a draw to fill seats and keep revenue flowing. From that perspective, having a player who keeps them competitive and sparks fan excitement is crucial.
Is Herro that player? The answer may not be clear yet, but the Bucks’ front office will have to decide soon—whether to keep Herro in Milwaukee or send him on to his next chapter.
Add us as a preferred source on Google