Story byIra Winderman, South Florida Sun-SentinelMon, January 19, 2026 at 8:38 PM UTC·3 min readThe news on the injury front turned even more complex for Tyler Herro, with an MRI showing a painful rib issue that is expected to have the Heat guard out for the entirety of the team’s five-game western swing. Officially listed by the Heat on the NBA injury report as a “right costochondral injury to the ribs,” the issue stands as an issue of pain tolerance, not surgical. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNonetheless, it is another setback for the 2025 All-Star who missed the first 17 games of the season following September ankle surgery, and then 13 more due to a toe contusion. Listed as out for Monday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors, if Herro misses all five games of the Heat’s trip, it would mean being out for 36 of the season’s first 47 games. Herro has appeared in just 11 games this season, having played in five in a row before sitting out Saturday night’s home victory over the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. According to Cleveland Clinic, Costochondritis is a painful inflammation in the costochondral joints — the cartilage that joins ribs to the sternum – making movement or breathing difficult, with athletes in contact sports at a higher risk. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer Cleveland Clinic’s website, “Costochondritis is usually a short-term issue. Most people experience symptoms anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It’s rare, but costochondritis can last for several months.”The Heat’s five-game trip continues from Monday night’s opener against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center with games at the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, Utah Jazz on Saturday and Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
