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Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro will miss the beginning of the 2025-26 NBA season after undergoing surgery on his left foot and ankle, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.

The injury is something that has been affecting Herro since the summer, Chiang reports. The Heat guard recently received PRP and cortisone injections as a way to avoid surgery, but Herro continued feeling discomfort in the foot.

Friday’s surgery alleviated posterior impingement syndrome in Herro’s left ankle, according to the team. His timetable to return is expected to be eight weeks, which would place his return around mid-November, approximately 14 games into the regular season. 

Herro, 25 is entering his seventh NBA season — all with the Heat. Last season, he led the team with a career-high 23.9 points and 5.5 assists per game in 77 games. He also shot a 37.5% from 3-point range and his presence was missed on the court with Miami scoring 8.6 fewer points per possession with him sitting out.

[Get more Heat news: Miami team feed]

His play earned his a place in the NBA All-Star Game as part of Kenny Smith’s “Young Stars” team, along with the likes of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards, among others. He also went on to win the 3-point contest.

Herro and the Heat are eligible on Oct. 1 to begin discussing a contract extension where he would be able to add a three-year, $149.7 million deal to the two years and $64 million remaining on his current contract. Should the two sides fail to reach an agreement by Oct. 20, Herro would then become eligible for a four-year, $206.9 million extension next summer.

Representatives for Herro and the Heat are reportedly expected to meet in early October. Team president Pat Riley said in May that discussions may wait until next offseason.

“Pay me now or pay me later, whatever it is,” Riley said. “We’ve already talked about it. I talked about it with Tyler, and so we’ll see what happens as we plan. The numbers are getting pretty big for a lot of guys. Max salaries in this league, who do they go to? I mean, who do they go to and who is really? If you’re going to make $70 million a year, who are those five or 10 guys that deserve that? But Tyler definitely is deserving of the thought of an extension. But are we going to do it? We haven’t committed to it, but we’re going to discuss it and I’ve already talked to him about it. He’s cool.”

The Heat are scheduled to open training camp on Sept. 30.

The Mets open a three-game series against the Nationals at Citi Field on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here’s what to know about the game and how to watch…

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Mets Notes

• Juan Soto is hitting .301/.425/.664 with 16 home runs, 37 RBI, 38 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 181 plate appearances over his last 39 games dating back to Aug. 6
• Pete Alonso has homered in four consecutive games
• Brandon Sproat was tremendous in his last start, firing 6.0 shutout innings against the Rangers while allowing six hits, walking none, and striking out three

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For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of this baseball generation. He’s amassed more than 3,000 strikeouts to go along with his 222 wins. Throw in three Cy Young Awards, a Most Valuable Player Award and two World Series titles, and you have an impressive career worthy of Cooperstown.

The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher announced his retirement at the end of the season on Thursday.

Despite his stellar résumé, Kershaw’s cards haven’t always been highly valuable.

That’s the way it works sometimes in cards — especially for pitchers. Even someone as dominating as Kershaw was in his prime, he didn’t get the cardboard love right away.

Looking at Kershaw’s Card Ladder index, you can see that started to change in 2017, well after he had already won three Cy Young Awards.

There was another jump in 2021, but card prices skyrocketed during the pandemic for just about everyone.

There are a few reasons for the slow climb in his card values. It could be collectors finally recognized what he’s done on the mound. But probably because his card value wasn’t realized — yet.

Sometimes it takes a collector to pivot from the norm to find the next sports card star.

While Kershaw’s card values are much higher now than even five years ago, here are six fun and interesting cards you might consider adding to your collection.

2006 Bowman Chrome Draft Pick Autographs

There are a few different parallels of this card and depending on the rarity, the prices can get high. But this is Kershaw’s top prospect card that collectors have preferred.

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Parallel Rookie Cards

The Topps flagship rookie card is always going to be one that collectors want to own. Topps has the longest-running flagship product of any company in any sport. The continuity dates back to 1951 (with game cards) and 1952 with what is considered the evolution of modern-day cards.

The Black (numbered to 57) or Gold (numbered to 2008) parallels of the 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights card are highly valuable, especially in high grades, selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

2008 Topps Chrome Updates & Highlights

The Chrome rookies were packaged as box toppers in 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Baseball hobby or hobby jumbo boxes. There were 55 players on the checklist, including Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Evan Longoria. While the print run is not known, the full run of Updates & Highlights was generally the lowest of the flagship products.

2008 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs

Heritage has been a staple in the collecting world since 2001. And the Real One Autographs are always incredibly popular. The limited run of autographs can sell for thousands.

2008 Upper Deck Timeline ’93 SP Rookie Card

Kershaw was featured in several Upper Deck products during his rookie year as well. Upper Deck Timeline was fun as it featured unique designs along with throwbacks from Upper Deck’s earlier years including 1993 SP, which is famous for Derek Jeter’s best rookie card. This card won’t break the bank but still has nice value.

2008 Upper Deck Goudey #75 Rookie Card

Another affordable card, this one features a pre-war design. Ungraded, this card can be had for under $20, but high grades carry more value. It’s a fun card with a retro look of a modern star.

The baseball season is a marathon. Each major-league roster is in constant flux as teams deal with surges, slumps, injuries and disappointments throughout the 162-game campaign. When the dust settles, the front office in each city begins analyzing successes and failures and building plans to improve in the future. After all, every year, 29 of 30 teams fall short of the ultimate goal.

With that in mind,

Minnesota Twins (eliminated Sept. 13)

So many Twins had mediocre offensive seasons. Among the disappointments were several of those who were expected to make a real impact. That list is headlined by Royce Lewis, who was again injured and inconsistent. Lewis missed most of the first half due to a hamstring injury and had a .583 OPS in the 42 games he played. He picked things up a bit in the second half, with a .764 OPS through Sept. 13, but it was too little, too late.

Carlos Correa was the other potential star who fell far short of expectations. He produced just seven homers and a .704 OPS in 93 games prior to the trade deadline, when the front office made the decision to send him back to Houston. Given that the team wasn’t far out of the race at that point, it’s easy to see how the Twins’ season could’ve been completely different if Lewis and Correa had been impact players in the first half. Read more

Pittsburgh Pirates (eliminated Sept. 15)

The Pirates’ success this season can be summed up in two words: Paul Skenes. The sophomore ace can make an excellent case for being the best pitcher in baseball, as he could finish his first two big-league seasons with an ERA under 2.00. Skenes seemingly does everything well, dominating hitters on both sides of the plate, striking out batters by the truckload and rarely surrendering walks or home runs. He is the front-runner to take home the NL Cy Young Award and already seems well on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

Of course, Skenes can pitch in only about 20% of the team’s games, so thankfully, he was supported in the rotation by Mitch Keller, who slumped during August but was otherwise effective. They were also joined in late August by Bubba Chandler, who put his elite skill set on full display while appearing mostly as a bulk reliever. The Pirates should finish with a team ERA that’s top-10 in baseball. Read more

Los Angeles Angels (eliminated Sept. 15)

The Angels’ biggest failures were on the pitching staff. The starters often struggled to keep the bases clean, which limited how long they could remain in games. The bottom three starters — Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks and Jack Kochanowicz — spent most of the season with ERAs north of 4.50. And aside from Jansen and Brock Burke, the team’s key relievers struggled to log ERAs below 4.00. The staff seemed to consist entirely of innings-eaters, lacking anyone who could make a real difference.

Although the Angels’ offense improved overall, there were still a couple of hitters who let the team down. Luis Rengifo experienced a major offensive decline. Jorge Soler was arguably even more disappointing, as he was expected to be a middle-of-the-lineup presence after he was acquired via trade last October. His play was acceptable during April but then tailed off, and he spent a significant amount of the summer on the IL due to recurring back inflammation. Read more

Athletics (eliminated Sept. 17)

Nick Kurtz opened the season as the organization’s top prospect and will likely finish as the AL Rookie of the Year and the centerpiece of the Athletics’ lineup. The slugger needed time to get acclimated, as he hit .208 with one homer in his initial 23 games. Then he became dominant in late May and stayed that way for the rest of the summer, which included one of the most memorable single-game performances in MLB history.

Kurtz wasn’t the only A’s rookie to make a major impact. After getting his feet wet last season, Jacob Wilson spent 2025 ranked among the sport’s batting average leaders, and he emerged as a lineup sparkplug who rarely strikes out and has a little more pop than some expected. His campaign was interrupted in late July by a fractured forearm, but by that point Wilson had already established his significant upside. Read more

Baltimore Orioles (eliminated Sept. 17)

There were nearly as many disappointments at the plate as there were on the mound. Adley Rutschman was the highest profile letdown. He was supposed to rebound from a poor second half in 2024 and return to being one of the best young catchers in baseball. Instead, Rutschman regressed further, a huge problem when factoring in that he usually hit second in the lineup. 

Ascending youngsters Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser both missed a significant portion of the first half due to injuries, free-agent signee Tyler O’Neill was a massive bust, and Ryan Mountcastle’s contributions were virtually nonexistent. Former prospects such as Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo did not take the next step, and with that, a lineup that was supposed to be among the best in baseball was full of holes from top to bottom. Read more

The MLB postseason is right around the corner. And with less than two weeks left in the regular season, every team with World Series aspirations still has a lot left to play for.

Let’s break down the MLB standings and the playoff picture as they look ahead of games on Sept. 18.

Who has clinched a spot in the playoffs?

The Brewers clinched the first spot in the playoffs on Sept. 13. They are in line to win the NL Central and secure the NL’s No. 1 seed.

The Phillies clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 14. They won the NL East and are in line to secure the NL’s No. 2 seed.

The Cubs clinched a postseason spot on Sept. 17. They are in line to secure the top wild card in the NL and the No. 4 seed.

No other team has clinched a postseason berth yet, though the same 12 teams have been in playoff position since July 11.

Who can clinch next?

The Blue Jays are in line to be the first team in the postseason in the American League, with a magic number at two. The Dodgers’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot is also two.

On the NL side, the Dodgers and Padres have playoff odds above 99%, according to FanGraphs. The Brewers and Dodgers are in position to win their divisions, while the Cubs currently hold the top wild card. The Mets are also in wild-card position.

In the AL, the Blue Jays, Yankees and Tigers all have playoff odds of 99% or better. Also in playoff position are the Mariners, Astros and Red Sox. The Tigers, Blue Jays and Astros currently lead their divisions, with the Yankees, Mariners and Red Sox making up the wild-card field. 

But someone could still shake up the wild-card picture, as the Rangers and Guardians are within 4.5 games of the Red Sox for the final spot in the AL, and the Diamondbacks, Giants and Reds are within 2.5 games of the Mets for the final spot in the NL.

What’s still up for grabs?

Once a team clinches its ticket to the postseason, there’s still a lot to play for. Beyond division leads and wild cards, teams could be battling for playoff positioning until the final weekend of the season.

The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each league go to the division winners with the two best records. Those teams earn a bye through the wild-card round and hosting rights in the division series. Currently, the Brewers, Phillies, Tigers and Blue Jays are in line to claim those byes.

The No. 3 seed goes to the third division winner, and that team will host the three-game wild-card series against the No. 6 seed (which goes to the third wild card). The top wild-card team will earn the No. 4 seed and host the No. 5 seed (the second wild card) in the wild-card round.

The higher seed also gets home-field advantage in the championship series, once we get that far.

What are the tiebreakers?

No longer do teams play a Game 163 if they finish the season tied. Instead, tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head records first and, if needed, intradivision records second.

Here are the tiebreakers that could come into play:

• The Blue Jays have clinched the tiebreaker against the Red Sox, Yankees and Tigers.

• The Red Sox have clinched the tiebreaker against the Yankees.

• The Tigers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Astros.

• The Mariners have clinched the tiebreaker against the Tigers.

• The Mets have clinched the tiebreaker against the Phillies and Padres.

• The Phillies have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers.

• The Brewers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Phillies.

• The Cubs have clinched the tiebreaker against the Brewers.

• The Dodgers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Padres.

• The Astros have clinched the tiebreaker against the Blue Jays.

• The Astros and Mariners are 5-5 this season with three games left to play this weekend.

What would the playoff bracket look like if the season ended today?

American League

Wild card: No. 6 Boston Red Sox vs. No. 3 Houston Astros
ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Detroit Tigers

Wild card: No. 5 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Wild card: No. 6 New York Mets vs. No. 3 L.A. Dodgers
NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies

Wild card: No. 5 San Diego Padres vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers

What’s the schedule for the postseason?

Wild-card series (best of three)

Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 30
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 1
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 2*

Division series (best of five)

ALDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 5
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 8*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 10*

NLDS

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 8
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 9*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 11*

Championship series (best of seven)

ALCS

Game 1: Sunday, Oct 12
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 17*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 19*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 20*

NLCS

Game 1: Monday, Oct 13
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 17
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 18*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 20*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 21*

World Series (best of seven)

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 29*
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 31*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 1*

(*if necessary)

Not long ago, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson were the Spurs’ best players. The team was awful during that season, but the two homegrown talents put up numbers and looked like young up-and-comers. Both got long-term deals and seemed to be part of the core.

How quickly things change in the NBA. The arrival of Victor Wembanyama in the draft and De’Aaron Fox through trade completely altered the team’s hierarchy. It was the plan all along to bring guys who were better than the ones who presided over tanking seasons, but it’s still surprising how quickly Johnson and Vassell went from lynchpins to now entering make-or-break seasons.

To say that the two young veterans are playing for their NBA future would be an overstatement, but this year could determine how significant a role they will play in San Antonio’s next great team or whether they are potential trade pieces. The Spurs should hope that they thrive because their season could be much more successful if they do.

Johnson and Vassell are vastly different players, but the best version of both could be massively helpful for the 2024/25 Spurs. Johnson, the longest tenured player on the team and a gold medalist with Team USA, saw the ups and downs of the pre-Wemby era and adapted to any role asked of him, from bit player who found a place in the rotation at the bubble, to offensive centerpiece when the team stripped things down, and now to sixth-man duties. He’s clearly respected by his teammates and the coaching staff and front office. For a franchise that values continuity and a team-first attitude, Johnson is valuable even when he’s not on the floor.

As a player, the fit is not as seamless, but not terrible, either. The Spurs need wing shooters. Johnson is not the most reliable at it, but he shot 40 percent from outside on almost 400 attempts three years ago, which shows that he can make threes. The 30 percent he shot on catch-and-shoot opportunities last season seems to be an aberration, as he shot 35 percent on higher on those looks on the prior three years. Johnson is also good off-ball because he’s a good scorer on drives who thrives when he can catch the ball already in motion. In a smaller role next to creators, he could have an efficient scoring season.

Vassell could similarly find an ideal role by getting less responsibility. He has a deadly jumper and improved massively as a finisher year over year, but he always seemed better suited to be a third option rather than an offensive engine. With Wembanyama and Fox in tow, he could settle in as a floor spacer who offers shot creation in a pinch and can take over a bigger offensive load with bench units. His defense perked up late last season, and if saving energy on the other end allows him to live up to his potential as a disruptive team defender, he could be exactly the type of player that helps round out the starting lineup and other shooting-starved units.

He also represents the best opportunity for the Spurs to have a third linchpin for much less than the max in the short term. Vassell signed an onerous but reasonable extension that features incentives like finishing top 15 in the league in three-pointers made or making an All-NBA team. Those are considered unlikely for good reason, but if he reaches those heights, San Antonio should be happy to pay a little more for the perfect third piece that would allow them to field a competitive team without having to add another star on a massive contract through free agency or trade while they wait for Stephon Castle or Dylan Harper to get to that level.

Johnson’s leadership and off-ball ferocity, Vassell’s firepower and untapped potential. It could all come together for those two this upcoming season, as they improve individually and find their ideal place in the rotation, helping the Spurs turn heads. It’s possible. Alas, it’s also not out of the question that past issues rear their heads again, and two guys who have been in San Antonio for a while find themselves in trade rumors.

Johnson’s development stagnated long ago, and only a reliable outside shot or newfound defensive competence can turn him into a well-rounded player. If the shot doesn’t fall, or it falls at around league average, it could be hard to justify keeping him long-term. A leap on defense would help his case, but it seems unlikely. As for Vassell, his ability to blend in sometimes turns into a problem because his tendency to defer can lead to stretches of low impact. His health and intensity of defense are also question marks at this point.

Anyone who has watched the Spurs in the past few years knows the flaws of both players. While it seems unnecessary to dwell on them, it’s imperative to keep them in mind. If they can overcome them, either by settling into roles that highlight their strengths or by improving upon their weaknesses, San Antonio could surprise next season. Vassell and Johnson are arguably the two swing players for the Silver and Black in the short term, due to their experience and the team’s need for a three-level scorer and a two-way backup forward with range.

Rebuilds often reach a point at which homegrown players who were once important early on find themselves losing their standing as core guys, as their fit with stars becomes questionable or their shortcomings get hard to mask. Sometimes moving on works — the Thunder and Josh Giddey are prime examples — but it can be painful to let go. Hopefully, Johnson and Vassell will show their best version of themselves and sidestep the fate many in a similar circumstance couldn’t avoid.

Who will be the next breakout wing for the Boston Celtics? As the Celtics start to get a reputation for identifying talented young wings in the draft and as undrafted free agents, there has never been a time Boston needed to strike gold in that regard given the current NBA cap environment and where the Celtics are in terms of their retooling season and contention arc.

The front office signed, drafted, or traded for a number of forward prospects at the start of the 2025 offseason, including Josh Minott, Hugo Gonzalez, and RJ Luis, and the team also has Jordan Walsh and Xavier Tillman Sr. already on the roster. Which of the Celtics’ wings might be their next unexpected success story?

The folks behind the “NESN” YouTube channel put together a clip from their “Hold My Banner” show on exactly this topic. Check it out below to hear what they had to say!

Listen to “Havlicek Stole the Pod” on:

Spotify: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Who will be the next breakout wing for the Celtics?