ASK IRA: Is Jaime Jaquez Jr. simply the right fit at the right moment for the Heat?
Q: Jaime Jaquez Jr. is special. He is taking a back seat a bit, trying to be deferential to the vets. He can be a 22-, 23-point scorer while playing great defense. – Jon.
A: Or he could be even more. But that’s not what this team needs at this moment. What the Heat needed to inject into the mix after the free-agency departures of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent was a complementary component who could augment the games of Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. To a degree, Jaime Jaquez Jr. reminds of Shane Battier, particularly during Shane’s Heat tenure. Yes, Shane could have done more, but he appreciated the moment, taking shots within the offense, working as hard or even harder on the defensive end. Jaime, mature for his age at 22, appears to recognize as much, as well. There well could be a time, after Jimmy Butler’s time, when Jaime emerges as far more. But the way he has subjugated his game has answered so many questions. Another comparison, actually also a Duke comparison, is Justise Winslow, who seemingly never could wrap his head around playing as a complementary component. The reality is that for a player drafted at No. 18, Jaime has been nothing short of early-season revelation.
Q: The Heat are playing great, but all this talk about them being better this season without Tyler Herro is nonsense. What quality teams have they beat without Herro? The losses with Herro were against the three teams with the best records in the league. The Timberwolves, Celtics and Bucks have a combined record of 33-11. The fourth loss was a close game to the Nets where they blew a large fourth-quarter lead. A game where Kevin Love and Caleb Martin were out, Jaime Jacquez Jr. was still just getting used to the league, and Josh Richardson was still getting in shape from his injury. — Joel, Fort Lauderdale.
A: This is a tired, unnecessary narrative. A team is better with as many quality players as possible. Tyler Herro is that. The only narrative worthy of discussion is the role and fit for Tyler when he returns from his Grade 2 ankle sprain. As you have noted, the team has changed in his absence. That, in turn, will require a bit of adjustment for all involved.
Q: Ira, regarding your article about the Heat developing players for other teams, I agree that it stinks. So why not consider what the NFL does, compensatory picks? The higher the value of said player, the higher the draft pick(s). – Rodney.
A: The problem is with so much free agency in the NBA, the draft would turn into nothing but compensatory picks. Plus, there is not the same depth of talent (or depth of need) in the NBA draft than the NFL draft. Also, in a salary-cap league, teams often make the decisions based on finance rather than need. So, in a way, such an approach could have teams bypassing free agency in favor of extra draft picks, thereby suppressing salaries.