Even though they increased their win total by six games, there weren’t many positives to take away from the Miami Heat’s 2025-26 season, which ended this week.
Though one of them was how well rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis burst on the scene. The No. 20 overall pick didn’t pick up gaudy numbers, nor did he have a lot of usage, but his impact was always felt, where his role increased as the season went on.
He didn’t just catch the eye of head coach Erik Spoelstra — he caught the eye of everyone.
“[Kasparas Jakucionis] surprised all of us,” Spoelstra said. “He’s very mature for his years. He’s a diligent worker and he’s the nicest guy off the court and he’s an animal on the court. He’s not trying to make any friends in this league — that’s where he’s [Goran Dragic]-esque. The contrast of on the court, between the lines, and his personality off the court. I love that about him, and he’ll have a great summer.
“Loved seeing him get minutes down the stretch. He’s really improved and he’s a Heat guy. He has that kind of DNA in his blood as a competitor.”
As a rookie, Jakucionis averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists across 17.8 minutes per game. He appeared in 53 contests, including 12 starts.
Where the 6-foot-5 guard blossomed most was beyond the arc. Playing in an off-ball role, a steady diet of Jakucionis’ shot attempts were from beyond the arc. Defenses routinely played off of him — and the 19-year-old made them pay. Jakucionis shot 42.3 percent from deep, including 48.1 percent on spot-up attempts.
Similar to his lead role at Illinois, Jakucionis showcased plenty of playmaking chops. His feel for the game continued to improve throughout the season, though he’ll need to improve his finishing around the rim and his ballhandling.
The future is bright for the Lithuanian guard, especially if he’s able to refine those two areas in the Heat’s scheme offensively.
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The Heat have 12 players under contract at this moment that are 28, 24, 26,19, 25, 24, 22, 25, 27, 28, 21, and 25. They will add 2 more players in the coming weeks under 25. Some of these players will be traded or released (non guaranteed contract) before the start of next season. I think this is the right direction for the team to build chemistry and consistency.
Miami must pick a direction and stick to it. If the team is to be rebuilt, it should be done in a strategic well thought out comprehensive manner. It may take 2-3 years to complete the transition from what has been to what will be
Yes, you can’t go halfway, and try to stay relevant, while developing a younger team to take over. The expression, you can’t have your cake and eat it too, applies here.
The problem with our crop of youngsters is none of them are likely to develop into top players, with the possible exception of Ware, and even that is not definite. That’s what you get when you draft mid round, a lot of rotational talent.
The Heat are in more trouble than some realize as our best three players are our older ones and two of them are likely gone. Even the third may soon ask for a trade. And those three players timelines are wrong for the younger players anyway as we are not near contention now. And the same stupid comments about the Greek liking Miami are happening again, like the whole process is brand new.
I don’t want to be negative, but when I thought about it I realized the rebuild is our best percentage move. I know it sucks, I don’t want to do it either, but we really do have to.
It’s the impending loss of Powell and Wiggins that set our course. Even with their money and the Rozier money, that will be hard to replace. And, if we don’t do the rebuild, and we draft thirteen, get a nice player, and try to patch a team together, or chase Giannis, my prediction is we are lottery bound anyway.
This is where the ones who dared to say this last year were right, and the rest were wrong. We should have done this a year ago and we’d already be better off than we are now.
Sorry to say things people don’t want to hear, but that’s what I think is the cold hard truth.
I was optimistic about the team before the season, you were not. Its not that I was totally wrong, the was team is slightly better, but I suppose you are more right then me. Kudos for that.
Thanks, but I didn’t want the rebuild last year either. Or, I should say, I wanted to win the play-in and see what happened. I wasn’t right, and the ones who were right got chewed out for their opinion.
I agree that it would have been to Miami’s advantage to tank last year and even this one. However, last season, like this one, Miami was left in a difficult position as the 10th place team. They had to win 2 games on the road to earn the #8 playoff spot for a chance to be slaughtered by #1 seed, Cleveland. Last year, like this one, I would have preferred for Miami to make a valiant showing and LOSE in the play-in round. If they had, they might have been in the position to draft Flagg, Harper, Edgecombe, Knueppel, Bailey or one of the other more highly rated prospects.
However, the Heat somehow played very good basketball during those 2 playin games against Chicago and Atlanta. It was hard to watch the team play its heart out and think to myself, “I sure hope you guys lose.” Davion Mitchell’s masterpiece against Atlanta was priceless and was the highlight in an otherwise chaotic, miserable and very disappointing season. Unfortunately, by making the playoffs, Miami went from #11 pick to #20 and was left in a position they were totally unprepared for…facing Cleveland. The rest is history.
Getting back to tanking, fans pay their hard earned money to watch players give their best efforts to win and let the chips fall where they may. That is part of the Miami Heat culture. However, watching other teams intentionally tank is, in my opinion, disgusting. Every time a team intentionally tanks, it loses a little bit of its soul. I’m glad Miami didn’t reach the playoffs this year and qualify for the playoffs. They are not in any position to compete against the elite teams in the NBA. However, I was also happy to see the team give its best effort, although it was in a losing effort. If nothing else, the Heat’s players can go into this offseason with their dignities intact.
12 players under contract zero diff makers.u dont win with quantity u win with .just keep on adding players not the answer.we all know we need a ss.thats all the f that counts.u can add all the pelles jjj jacos in the world u want that wont get u jack.whale season starts soon see if sunman can reel one in.sunman hardest working heat guy i know of.those lebron posts dont happen w/o alot of thought and knowledge.of the game.id be very confident as sunman as our gm.
Thanks heat. I think Riley is going to need to show his hand very soon. If he is going after Giannis, Mitchell, Morant, LeBron, Leonard or whoever, he will need to do it asap. If he’s unsuccessful, he needs to pivot to rebuild mode and attack it with gusto. One thing is clear, he needs to clean house of players who don’t fit the rebuild scenario, starting with Herro.
Yes, great comment about quantity over quality, and particularly about none of our young guys being a difference maker. It is possible that Ware becomes a very good player, but even that will require some growth. Quantity of good players works better in other sports, the ones with bigger rosters. In basketball, the good player isn’t good enough. Plenty of our young guys are good players, but our very good players are all over thirty.
I agree with this and your earlier comment. But while none, except possibly Ware, might be a difference maker, they are building a core group of complimentary players, and that is a strategic way to start. Once you have your competent role players established, that’s when you can add that one (or 2) missing piece to be a competitive team. Hhhf4l is right about this issue. If you gut your team to add an aging superstar, you may be right back in the same situation, or worse. As he says “wash, rinse, repeat “ and that’s what the Heat have done for 4 straight years.
What is also funny is how Mr Conspiracy Theory often gushes about players from other teams and doesn’t connect the dots that they are often lottery picks. If anyone doesn’t understand the importance of draft picks, they are as out of touch with the game as they claim Riley to be.
i would have done anything anything anything to keep lebron here i mean anything not pat.i would have given him a cruise ship
They tried. They basically offered anything he wanted. They even drafted Napier at his request. Riley even wasted time and effort flying to Vegas even though LeBron had already made up his mind to return to Cleveland.
how do u know that.there was some bs with choc chip cookies with lebrons homies.u dont think tom brady had alot of say with pats draft and marino with fins draft.when players reach a certain status so they dont wonder away u let them have a say in the draft when .u have michael jordan 2 in your house u kiss his ars to the nth degree rileys ego got in the way .first fireable offense he committed with many many to follow,impact on winning lebron is the best at that still.bball iq off the chart.u just have to marvel at his greatness still and just think to ourselves what if pat would have
I have never liked ass kissers. They would sell their souls to the devil if the price was right. If you have ever worked with, around or for one, you know exactly what I mean.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT? Weren’t you paying attention at the time? Riley unquestionably wanted LeBron to stay. If LeBron was upset about something trivial with his entourage, that was just an excuse. He clearly planned to return to Cleveland all along. Didn’t even give the opportunity to the Heat to do a sign and trade. He was an ass at the time, stringing us along while every other fa was coming off the board. And never forget that his best years were with the Heat. Not Cleveland, not LA.
Absolutely right. He was leaving regardless how much Riley begged. The only thing that might have kept him would have been if Arison offered him a piece of Carnival Cruise Line.
u treat lebron differently hes only the best player that ever played.lebron what would it take for u to be here.thats what u have to say.if he says i want that hfl guyon hhh to stop posting i would have done it rc
Using an alius.
BoneManFromSunBone
this thompson might be the best athlete in nba and the worse shooter
Being a good athlete isn’t enough.
yes hes super limited due to no shot.honestly would u rather have him or herro.
Thompson is on a rookie contract so him hands down.
Terrible 3p shooter, but not a bad shooter.
most of his pts are duncs or follow ups rc when i see him play.think our kj similar skills but eric doesnt think so
Keshad will take a little longer to develop. Once he feels comfortable that he deserves to be in the NBA and has confidence in his strengths (athleticism, energy, toughness), he’ll take off. I see him becoming a heftier version of Airplane Mode by the end of next season.
marcus smart dramond green not much offensive talent id love them on the heat,tyler herro much offensive talent cant wait til hes off team
I hate Green, think he’s the dirtiest, most violent player in the league. And he’s totally replaceable. I like Smart a lot. He has better offense in him. With the C’s he used to score more.
kerr says hes the best defensive player hes ever seen 30.if hes on your team u love him no?
I agree, and it’s ironic that he’s pitted against Brooks, who is right up there with him. I would have zero interest in Green being on the Heat. Anyway, he’s too old to be here.
kd hurt wow there fkd
That’s the problem with so many ss players, they are injury prone, especially after 30. Teams pay them lbig bucks and when they are needed most, they are in rehab. Talk about frustrating. Heat better off starting with new/younger players and developing them. The team should get back to its defensive roots and no longer accept being mediocre.
“Offense sells tickets. Defense wins championships.”
all players over 30 subject to injuries at a higher rate than youngens.id love to have a young ss but they are few and far between.
Look What Giannis Antetokounmpo Told Goran Dragic About MiamiAs the Heat’s chase resumes, the Bucks star’s comments won’t be a deterrent
https://www.si.com/nba/heat/onsi/giannis-antetokounmpo-sends-a-message-through-goran-dragic-that-heat-will-notice-01kpgra43nv5
we know he likes heat culture does milw like herro bam pelle jovic enough.his first choice ny
The Heat should not be shortsighted and sacrifice the core of its younger
players and most of its draft picks for a player who may be out injured when needed most.
Strus went off in game one. He was really the best of the diamonds in the rough the Heat found. He’s probably better now than he was with the Heat. Duncan has also done very well. Cain has been a bit of a surprise for the Magic, Highsmith and Vincent not as much. What I like about Strus is he has that rare trait of playing well in bigger games.
Another of our guys, Potter, scored quite a few points for the tanker Pacers.
Good observation. I liked Strus because he had a solid body and wasn’t afraid to mix it up inside. Was a decent defender too.
u always thought unc was the better player we would argue alot over this
At the time, Duncan’s resume was far better than Strus’.
From google-
Duncan Robinson is generally considered the superior, elite shooter, while Strus offers more versatility, better rebounding, and stronger defensive effort. Robinson is a more productive offensive player when on the floor, but Strus provides better all-around utility and athleticism. Robinson Widely regarded as a premier shooter, often cited as one of the best in the world, capable of high-volume 3-point shooting.
Bout30 this is complete blasphemy never forget when he went 0/12 in a finals game it was disgusting I don’t get this retrospective positivity towards Strus people don’t remember how much of a chucking liability he was when he was here. He would single handedly shoot us out of games and that’s not even talking about on defense. Guy would have me raging at the TV
You have a right to your opinion and I remember he had some off nights when he played for us. Sometimes it’s the circumstances a player is placed in, sometimes a player tries to do too much or is given too much responsibility. There are times when a player fits better with a new team.
Did you see him play today? The crowd was yelling Strrruuuuuusssss! They were loving him. I do think he bulked up a little, seemed more athletic. He skied for a lob dunk on one play that I don’t think he did too often with us. The fact is Cleveland saw something in him and he is delivering for them off the bench, at least in this first playoff game, when they need it most after a long injury.
Yes, any player deserves a pass on one game, no matter how bad or important the game. He was a good player for us, one of Riley and Spo’s success stories.
Amen! Nice guy. Hard worker. High IQ. Should have kept him instead of Uncan.
He’s better now.
strus was hot and then not he was better than unc more athletic.
As noted, I like Yaxel and Philon. But the latter is a pg and right now we have 4 pg on the roster. Yaxel is a 6’9” 240 lb 2 way pf. The bottom line is there are at least 5 or 6 players in our range that can all really help. In addition to the aforementioned,
Karim Lopez
Position: PF | Size: 6’8″, 225 lbs | Age: 18 | Country: Mexico
Aday Mara
Position: C | Size: 7’3″, 255 lbs | Age: 20 | Country: Spain
Nate Ament
Position: SF | Size: 6’10”, 207 lbs | Age: 19
Hannes Steinbach
Position: C | Size: 6’11” | Age: 19 | Country: Germany
I watched a bit Yaxel. Seems like a good offensive player, but maybe a bit slow in defense to cover smaller guards. He is also quite old.
Yes, at 24 he is older than most, but I think that’s okay. And he is said to be a good defender. He shouldn’t have to guard those smaller players as he’s a pf.
An interesting player of a type Heat needs. At 24 could be close to a complete player, which probably means an instant help.
Yup. Not everyone is Bam. I would use Yaxel as combo SF/PF.
He could probably fill in at backup center. He has a 7’4” wingspan according to sources.
Yup. Especially if Jovic continues to insist he is a finesse player and is unwilling to mix it up a little. I wish he had half the aggressiveness of Mitchell, Jaquez, Larsson, Gardner or Johnson. With him, its 90% mental.
I hope Riley invests in intensive counseling for Jovic this summer, out of his own pocket. He gave Jovic that 4 year $62M contract, so its up to him to make it work.
hes a pg in a centers body.cant attack cant shoot anymore.the only role for him is a 3pt specialist where i think if he got his confidence back he can be 40%er.hes got good form and before this year was pretty decent at 3s.its all about confidence with most of these guys except the gd gifted ss.
Heat needs to find Jovic’s on switch then turn him lose. He is physically big enough to cause damage. He has to be willing to embrace that role and maximize his physical advantages over smaller players, especially in the paint. Defend, rebound, attack the paint, repeat
Ben Simmons was a PG in a C’s body. He could pass, rebound but couldn’t shoot a lick. Jovic is not there yet.
Good point.
big ten player of year during tourn he got injured.i liked that johnson guy big mobile shot eraser.and mara the giant also,if we got 2 out of 3 these players if theyre coming out our soft ass front line would be solidified
We all need to stop thinking small about incremental improvements. That will only ensure continued mediocrity and won’t make the Heat a legitimate contender.
Karim Lopez is described as a” jack of all trades but a master of none”.he is not what you call as a guy who is known for something to hang his hat on once he enters the league but shows flashes or better of doing everything. So a player that is for development and refinement ,which I think the organization and some fans doesnt have the patience for.
Do you know of a forward/center who can be describe as a Sasha Vezenkov esque? I think that is the kind of player who is perfect fit for the team who have ball dominant players.
I wasn’t familiar with that player. But why would a player who played only 1 year in the league be a better fit than other available players?
ESPN had this to say..
NBA scouts have been drawn to Lopez’s combination of positional size, 7-1 wingspan, ball skills, playmaking flashes and toughness — a blend of traits teams tend to covet in the draft. His perimeter shooting and physical explosiveness are areas to improve heading into the predraft process.
So perfect? No. He wouldn’t be my first choice at 13, but I think he’ll be a decent choice for some teams.
Philon good enough shooter to be SG or combo guard.
Good point
hes lebron everything he says always correct.me im the tyler herro of posting up and down .but i keep on shooting even when im off my game
Giannis on Gogis garage.
Dragic: “Vacation, LA or Miami?”
Giannis: “Miami. Miami, Miami. I think LA superficial. I don’t like LA”
its nyk and everybody else vagi
Who wants to go in NY?
fantastic fantastic place to visit.to live there terrible terrible place.im originally from there .mom got d moved to so fla one of the best things ever happened to me.now s fla no good so hfl might be relocating eventually.always be a heat fan though.im hfl
Whats wrong with florida?
Like Miami isn’t superficial lol
I dont know, I never been there.
betweem miami and ny visit ny aint no city like the big apple it will blow u away my european heat bro
I dont like cities, especially not big ones, and US is lately the last on the list of countries to visit (except id heat win the title, of course). If anything, I would visit Appalachia trail, Yellowstone or big canyon, thing like that.
They would all be great choices. There are plenty of nice places in Florida. Miami is an interesting city but has some problems.
lol, true!
Looks like talent is very good in lottery and starts declining after that. There should good choices for Heat. There should also be a few good choices available in Round 2. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25262746-2026-nba-mock-draft
gems can come from anywhere .doesnt seem to be a franchise changing player.
Yeah, that’s why every single team wants to pick higher, because you can get gems anywhere. As usual, regardless of showing you that the majority of the best players in history were top ten picks, you still try to dispute the fact. And at 13, you might not get a franchise changing player, but you can get one that elevates the team. And don’t go back to that long timeline baloney. As I also pointed out, the majority of this year’s lottery picks played and contributed this season.
higher u pick means u dont have to wait as long to get a player duh.but picking high with n 80 year old guy thats drafting like its the 1960s doesnt cut it rc.i have zero faith in pat picking.u look at the other good teams still playing none are built like us small and nonathletic.can u imagine tyler trying to guard a booker jalen green type player ,
I understand you feeling that way, but hopefully, as we’ve heard, it’s being done by committee, not just Riley, though he carries a lot of weight. Ware, Jaquez, and Pelle were all good picks at their spot. Kas seems to be too, we’ll know more in the future. But the team just can’t get another Justise or Precious with this pick. This draft, and the moves they make this offseason, will have a huge impact on the future of the team.
college draft has no franchise changers.we got enough ok to good players need a ss.good players dont get u jack sht.greek kawhi id focus on i know kawhi plays 1/2 the games but him in the playoff is like jimmy ,he might have been the best player in second half of season.bam and ty gotta go for either of the two.plus either jaco pelle jovic not jjj though
You and I seriously disagree on this issue. You won’t convince me and I won’t convince you. You always say “why can’t we get a player like ____?” and I often tell you he was a #9 or #12 pick. That’s how you build a team. When you have enough assets, you can then trade for that one player who will put you over the top. You can respond 20 times to this and it will not change my opinion one bit.
picking high means u sukd.who wants to watch crappy heat bball.i want a competitive team every year with a gm who knows what the f there doing.it doesnt take much to go from mediocre. to very good.with pat at the realm we are fkd..gtfoh old man its time for u to retire u cant do your job good anymore.how many bad moves can an owner put up with
who wants to watch crappy heat bball.
Not you, Mr Fairweather.
suns play small ball alot all guys around 6 5 but they can all guard 99 84 suns 5 mins left.
we need a jalen green type player .whos the next jalen green pat
Jalen Green type player? Sheesh, you love the play-in level status.
no zach this guys a certified killer.guy can score at all levels antman 2.suns have no size if they had a quality big they could go pretty far with book dillon green.they will get destroyed by an orlando giant type team
Jalen Green? Oh, just happens to be another high draft pick. Wake up and smell the draft pick roses, H. THE DRAFT CAN HELP GET YOU PLAYERS YOU LIKE.
Heat already have two SG better than Green on the roster but fans want them off the team. Both Herro and Powell score more points at higher efficiency than Green
This year
Green 17.8 ppg, 49.1 eFG%
Herro 20.5, 56.1%
Powell 21.7, 55.8%
Jalen Green is a 20 ppg scorer at below league average efficiency, Herro and Powell 20 ppg at above league average efficiency, very different
steph 2 for 9 tonight end of 3rd
The NBA ruled after the fact that Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball should have been ejected for the trip that took Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo out of Tuesday night’s play-in game.Thats on spobot for not arguing for his best player.
sun man might become sun fan
Been there done that. Same with Lakers.
its hard (impossible for me) to change teams .being a west coast coolio u are and seeing riley fk this org up u might be thinking about being a ??fan
No other team on my radar.
jalen greens gonna be the next ss hous might regret that trade
What are you on? Jalen Green averaged a low since his rookie season. Shot his lowest % since his rookie season from the field, his career low from 3 and the FT line. His rebounds and assists were down.
Now he’s gonna be a super star? Okay. Keep hfl away from the scouting department please.
He’s ok. Another herro norm Beal Lavine type player. One way scoring guards, who can light it up, have great games here and there but aren’t winning players
hes still young hater hes a coming for your knicks team watch out
#s not the best zach in his 5 year career . 18 42 31 obviously suns liked him more than anything we have.dudes so smooth .love watching playground guys ball with swag.tys swag is pretty cool btw.nobody cooler than sunman though.
whos the last heater get 36 35 pts back to back and in a one and done game
dillon brooks jalen green no wonder why kd isnt a heater thats a good haul suns good job
Go Warriors
go suns f jimmys team
121-90? Hey Melo, you suck! Karma biotch!!?
Lol ikr!
melo is carmel anthony btw
Carmel is in California
o my bad
good candy back in the day 2
Actually, that’s caramel
im old rc brain aint all there.thanks your my auto correct keep me sharp
haywood highsmith playing for suns
33 15suns 1st qtr.cant root for a butler team
13 2 suns.great start.game 7s home crowd is big
orl tank worked vukevich gordon kcp all gone paulo franz bane carter.bitaze .just dont have the beef to compete with them
Game basically over. Heat could’ve made it a close game…or just the same. We would never know.
Well, it’s a little of the universe arcing toward justice with Charlotte getting embarrassed tonite. I haven’t talked about it, but I agree that Ball got away with murder against us. I’m glad that team is going home because they are unworthy.
his rep has been ruined.that was so dirty and he did that to bam before,glad they lost and got embarassed..
What happened to Kneuppel? Rookie jitters on big games.
hes no cooper flagg.
orlando needs to change name to orlando giants
This season…Heat = Hornets
Next season they could really overtake Miami if no changes happen
think we were better.orl better than us.there will be changes but will they make us better .
orlando gotta be the biggest team in nba but top 15 eric loves his small players
It it got them an 8th seed after losing one, then winning one play-in game. If they make a run to ECF then you can slob on their knob
Wow, that first half was something of a complete meltdown by Charlotte. Can’t say I feel sorry for them. I hope it continues.
68 33 orlando yikes we suk
So far, the Karmic forces of restitution appear to be in force here. And they are particularly impacting on Ball, who is scoreless and on the bench with three personals halfway thru the second. Long way to go but the Hornets are in a 26 point hole.
Might be part of Giannis package, but yeah improved much
Should be Miami vs ORL in this game tonight. CHA making ORL look like the Knicks
And make it 0-6 vs the Magic?! 😳🙄
ORL is not that good. Their halfcourt offense is have Paolo drive and hope for FTs. They’re a below avg shooting team and need hot 3PT shooting to win games. They shot 39% from 3 vs Heat, 5% above their season avg
They were +27 in those 5 games, think the Heat had a good chance to win this one.
orl not that good really then what are we .franz wagner back they are a formidable team could use some outside shooting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recency_bias
your posts make no sense i honestly dont understand them to be honest sir.can u talk english
ORL has been one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year, their HC has been on the hot seat for months
They scored only 97 points in a loss to PHI last game. But to you they are a formidable team because they had 68 at the half tonight, the definition of recency bias
ORL this year is the #5 defensive rebounding team in the league, Miami is #8. To you there is a huge difference and Miami can’t be a top 10 rebounding team because Erik Spoelstra only plays “small ball”
Charlotte is actually the best of the three at rebounding, #3. But to you ORL is the best, because they fit your preconceived ideas about height, athleticism, race that have nothing to do with basketball
Tyler
needs to be traded ill finish the tyler sentence
The Heat had a chance, not sure it was a good chance. You’re right about the Magic’s offense, their scoring options are limited. But, Orlando’s strength is being a very physical team, and playing very good defense. And, I believe that’s why they went 5-0 against us.
It is difficult for me to comprehend why we would be optimistic if we were in this game. 5-0 is what it is. Could we have won a game like this? Yes, the Heat could beat anyone on a given day. But as I’ve stated, what would be the point? The team was not going anywhere in the playoffs anyway.
we played orl 10 times we might win once if we were really hot that night.notice jumping jack jamal cain in rotation .when they take suggs out they play really big no backup pg.there just to big for eric small ball
Agree that ORL physicality and defense is showing up this game. Their defense was elite last year but slipped to #11 this year. Think this game says more about CHA though
In ORL vs MIA 5 games, ORL was +27 and needed to take and make above their averages from 3 to win. +27 is a close scoring margin across 5 games and 0-5 was the social media headline for the year, but the record vs ORL could easily have been 2-3 for example. Regular season record is also often not predictive in playoff matchups.
Tonight at the half ORL was 35% from three, with 5 3PM, shooting well but they were +31 because of Charlotte’s lack of defense. They had 38 PITP at the half tonight, had 44 the entire last game vs Philly
bane wagner palo 3 excellent offensive players 30
o-forever until size and athleticism is added
Some nice comments about this hard working young player. Like SM, I find him Pelle-ish.
Charlotte appears to be suffering from team wide imposter syndrome.
Decent mid first round choice. He belongs. His three point shot is quite accurate. He has high athleticism, good vision, a nice knack for passing, and plays acceptable defense already. By next year we will start to figure out if he’s a rotation guy or a starter.,
Can tell he’s a winning player because his role this year was completely opposite from college where he was an on ball PnR creator and ran the offense. He took under 5 shots per game this year and 3 3PA per game. He completely bought in to the 3&D role as a rookie. Also won his minutes (+4.1 in 956 minutes)
Would think other teams would definitely be asking the Heat to include him in any trades, and Heat trying to keep him out of a trade
Kas has the potential to be a starting PG, SG or Combo G in the NBA. Worst case scenario, he can be used as an off the bench 3 point sniper.
Despite being only 19, he’s proven to be very mature for his age. He’s also tough and a very hard hard worker, ala Pelle Larsson.
His future is very bright! I hope he isn’t traded as part of some larger package, or it will come back to bite Riley/Miami right square in the a**!!!
What I also like, and I think is the most suprising for most , is his defensive ability which is already better than some of our guards and his ability to read plays and intercepts passing lanes are above normal.
Its hard to say, that he is contributed a lot, but team wasn’t worse of with him on the court.
I can hardly remember any rookie mistakes he does. That’s rare for rookie.
He needs to be stronger to penetrating to the rim. So, a summer spent in the gym should be a priority, and a couple of workouts with Goran should makes wonders.