The Miami Heat tried but were unsuccessful in making a big splash this NBA offseason when it came to their roster. They were the team that Damian Lillard wanted to be traded to, but ultimately, no deal could be reached between the teams as the Portland Trail Blazers never engaged Miami in negotiations.
Despite no trade, Miami is going to look a little bit different this season. Coming off of a trip to the NBA Finals, the Heat lost a few rotation players this offseason as Gabe Vincent landed with the Los Angeles Lakers and Max Strus is now on the Cleveland Cavaliers after a sign-and-trade deal.
Those are two key rotation players that the Heat will now be without. Other players are going to have to step up and fill that void. One player to keep an eye on to do so is rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
A first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, No. 18 overall out of UCLA, Jaquez has already drawn some rave reviews. One person who has been impressed by the former Bruin to this point is Jimmy Butler. He loves what he has seen from the rookie and couldn’t say enough positives about him.
“He just plays to win. He makes all the right plays. He kind of plays like a vet. He knows where the ball has to go and he’s confident in his abilities,” Butler said.
Jaquez is someone that should be able to help the Heat right away. Unlike many draft picks now, he is entering the NBA with a ton of collegiate experience. At 22 years old, some franchises may not believe he has as much upside as other players in the draft, but that isn’t seen as a negative by the Heat.
Looking to cement their status as a top team in the Eastern Conference, Miami needs experienced, battle-tested players on the roster. Jaquez played in 134 games in four seasons with UCLA, doing a little bit of everything.
For his career, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.4 minutes per game. His style of play is one that should translate well to the NBA and fit especially well within Heat culture.
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