The Miami Heat have become well-known in the NBA for having one of the top scouting and developmental staffs in the league. During their run to the NBA Finals last season, they had a total of five undrafted players playing key roles. The Heat had four other undrafted players on the roster, one of whom was Jamal Cain.
Jamal Cain went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and caught on with the Heat as a free agent for NBA Summer League. Cain had a decent summer league showing to the tune of 8.0 points per game, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 46.2 percent from the field. His play was strong enough to warrant a two-way contract from the Heat.
Cain received sporadic playing time with the Heat as a rookie during the 2022-23 season and on a two-way contract he was ineligible to suit up in the playoffs. But despite that, he was grateful to be along for the ride and for everything he was able to pick up in terms of adjusting to the NBA.
“I learned a lot honestly. For one, it was crazy just experiencing that in my first year in the league. There’s a lot of guys in the league that don’t even touch the Finals. I was just blessed and fortunate for that,” Cain said. “I learned a lot, just how to stay grounded in those moments, how to stay connected, how not to get mentally lost with what’s going on, Jimmy [Butler], Bam [Adebayo] and those guys did a great job of that.”
As a rookie, Jamal Cain appeared in 18 games with the Heat. He averaged 5.4 points per game and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 56.1 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three-point range. In the games he did play, he did well establishing himself as a catch and shoot three-point threat.
The Heat re-signed Cain in the offseason to another two-way contract, and he’s spent time playing for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This season in particular, Cain has used his time in the G League to expand his offensive game, specifically his ability to put the ball on the floor and attack off the dribble.
He’s able to play both forward positions and he knew that being able to create his own shot was the next step in his development.
“It’s definitely developed some more and it was definitely something I knew I needed to work on,” Cain said. “I knew that it was going to have be a part of my game, something that I had to do. It’s something that I’m still working on to this day.”
The G League has helped Jamal Cain improve his game
Last season, Cain appeared in 15 games in the G League for the Skyforce. He averaged 22.1 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 54.9 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from the three-point line and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line.
This season, Cain has played in nine games for the Skyforce. He’s averaged 23.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.3 blocked shots. He’s shot 50.3 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from the three-point line and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line.
The G League has grown in recent seasons with every NBA team, including the Heat, using the league as a way for younger players to get live game reps instead of just sitting on the bench. For Cain, he’s welcomed the opportunity to work on his game and play in actual game situations.
“It’s been good in getting reps just because when I’m with the Miami Heat team, I’m not playing as much and I’m only shooting shots and working out,” Cain said. “So when I have that opportunity to play against guys, of course it’s going to help me when I get moved up. Just being able to play, move around and play against good competition.”
On a two-way contract, Cain is limited to only 50 games with the Heat. He’s had a couple of stretches this year when he’s playing in consecutive games, but he’s largely been out of the rotation. One of his best games of the season came back in December in a win against the Golden State Warriors. Cain finished with 18 points on 7-14 shooting, six rebounds and two steals.
The challenges of playing on a two-way contract include the constant and often times without warning shuffling back and forth between the G League and the NBA. The most important thing for players is learning how to stay ready despite a fluctuating role.
“It’s kind of like a crazy question cause you never know when your number is going to be called. It’s the cliche things like you always got to stay ready,” Cain said. “Mentally you have to go to a different place because some days you might not play but you still have to keep that mental aspect. I still have to be ready, I still have to get my work in and I still have to be emotionally stable. With this whole situation, it’s kind of helped me a lot mentally and emotionally.”
The Heat have been a bit of an averaged team this season, but they’re seemingly in good position to finish with a higher seed than they did last year. They’re still likely going to have to go through the play-in though as they’re the current No. 7 seed in the East.
Cain knows that he’s not going to be able to contribute for the Heat during a potential playoff run, but he ultimately wants a chance to be a part of what everyone calls the ‘Heat culture.’
“I want to win a championship for sure,” Cain said. “I want to be a part of some championship in any way with the Heat, I just want to be a part of winning.”
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