Miami Heat Getting A Resurgence From Jaime Jaquez Jr.? | Preseason Progress Report Through 5 Games

Miami Heat Getting A Resurgence From Jaime Jaquez Jr.? | Preseason Progress Report Through 5 Games

Hey, welcome on in guys. Tobin here with you and thanks for checking out the channel. Hope you’re doing well there. If you guys could subscribe, that’d be great and appreciate you stopping by. Uh we’ll be a couple things to let you guys know. The Heat preeason. There’ll be a game again on Friday. The final one mercifully. Um, there will also be the red, white, and pink scrimmage is going on Wednesday night and I’ll be broadcasting that. Boots on the ground for the station WQAM. It’ll be on the AM feed tomorrow because there’s a Panthers game, but you guys can catch myself, Solana, and Tommy Tag as we broadcast live and uh we’ll give you coverage there. I believe it is broadcasting on YouTube. I don’t know if what the a I don’t know what the the a I don’t know if we’re the audio feed if Eric Reed and John Crowy are doing it or what, but they don’t typically do that. So, I know people always like to watch the scrimmage. It’s a really cool event. Um an awesome cause, you know, that the Miami Heat do every single year for uh for this. And you know, they they they I believe tickets are $10 and it benefits the Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, which it it really is an awesome event. They come out there, survivors who have survived uh cancer, paying obviously for breast cancer. And you know if you’ve had a loved one or you have gone through these battles man those institutes are having sent my uh wife when she went through her battle was at the Florida Cancer Institute. Um, so it wasn’t at Baptist Health, it was here in Palm Beach, but um, you know, those health care workers are like heaven sentent in your darkest moments. And so, whatever you can do for research uh, to help their institutes is just an awesome cause uh, in in people’s most tumultuous times, it really does, you know, does help a lot. And so, um, I think it’s a it’s a great event. They’ve done a lot of great stuff with with Baptist Health. They’ve done the dribble drive before, which I think is called now Bounce Back from Cancer. It’s led by Udonis Hassam, but I I did one of the original um events that they did with that where we dribbled from Miami Cancer Institute all the way to uh at the time American Airlines Arena, now the Cassa Center. So, the Heat does a lot of good work. Um and you go get to see your basketball team for 10 bucks. It’s a it’s a really it’s a really really great cause. Can’t recommend it enough. if you guys are able to go and if you’re not uh tune on in and of course we’ll uh we’ll have full coverage and uh we’ll see what’s what. I don’t know there’s not going to be a lot to glam on to. It’s a little bit different too because typically this scrimmage is kind of the kickoff to the preseason. Usually they do it and their game their first game is usually the the next day or the day after and this time it’s kind of the wrap-up almost because there’s only one preseason game left. So, scoping on out, but we’ve gotten a little bit of a look into uh the Heats preseason, which I wanted which is what I wanted to talk about a little bit tonight because um you know, it’s obviously it is mildly frustrating, keep it in perspective, that the Miami Heat haven’t won a preseason game yet. Like, who cares, right? But I do think there are things that have been concerning um and and you know first and foremost health because the Miami Heat didn’t have a lot of that last year. Even a even in the midst of the Jimmy Butler stuff basically everybody who wasn’t Bam or Tyler dealt with a lot of health issues and then you know Bam goes down yesterday with the knee injury. He didn’t need an MRI today which was great news. Um, but you know, Nico these the thing that’s that’s for it’s not only the injuries, it’s the people who have been injured and then some of the injuries that guys are dealing with are are injuries they’ve had in the past. So like for example, Nico’s dealing with a back injury. It’s like, well, it’s not something he’s dealt with in a while, but he has dealt with in the past. So you’re just like, all right, that doesn’t make me feel great. Then Tyler’s obviously dealing with the foot. I saw some uh photos that he put up today of him doing pool work, getting himself uh right. I I don’t know if we have anything on uh you know Dominique Wilkins uh little bomb there where he’s like I heard he’s going to be back open. I don’t know if that’s the case, but it looks like Tyler’s on the men, but obviously he’s dealt with footstep before now. This it seems like they’ve gotten at the the the root or the bone cause of it all. So hopefully this isn’t an issue for him anymore. So that’s been frustrating. Then you had all the guards that were out early on. No DaVon, no Caspers, no Pella. So it’s also been a very it’s been a very hard preeason to gauge because you they have been throwing a lot of stuff together. Um but look, the offense has been bad. I mean, like that’s, you know, they’ve been they’ve been they’ve been building a brick house like a bunch of third little pigs and it hasn’t been exactly aesthetically pleasing to watch. And those are, you know, things that I think understandably make the fan a little bit squish just because we dealt with all of that last year. the offense stunk and now I would say a legitimate concern of the fan base is like hey does this team have enough in today’s day and age does this team truly have enough shooting to succeed and especially without Tyler Hero because you’re going to need you know Nico’s a good shooter Norman’s obviously a great shooter Tyler’s a great shooter Wiggins is a capable shooter shooter. Bam took a shooting leap, but you know, you know, he’s not going to shoot five a game. You know, this is not a guy you’re you’re going to feed that many times from downtown, obviously. And I think even some people would be like, “Hey, we’ll sprinkle that in, get even close to the basket.” Kell Cole shot great, but he’s not exactly known as like a three-point threat. I don’t think people think he’s going to be Miles Turner or Brook Lopez all of a sudden. Um, and then DaVon, we have questions about is the shooting real. Hela’s not a shooter. Haime is not a shooter. Fonteio as the capability, but I don’t necessarily know if anybody looks at him as like a crazy threat from downtown. Uh Keshot obviously isn’t, you know, known as a a shooting threat. Preacha, same thing. Uh Casper Jakona is not known as his bag. and and so yeah, there there’s a little bit of like is this, you know, is this something that really can get fixed at any point this season? And I truly don’t know the answer to that. Um, but I I but I will say out of everything that’s happened, yeah, they’re not going to go three for 30, but I mean I think that’s a I think the Heat’s inability to to hit shots from downtown on certain nights can definitely be a concern and you could see that that can really hinder you even if you’re a good team like Orlando. Um, it could be a hindrance to your to your team. But look, there’s been some I I think though the collection as a whole hasn’t been great, there has been some encouraging stuff from the preseason. I think the thing that’s interesting about it though is a lot of it has leaned young. And so I don’t know if I’m looking at it from a different grade on things. But I will say that the the guy first of all the thing that’s most encouraging I think is Kell because even with these spo criticisms the guy looks still like a physical freak. Looks like he is going to be a force for this team and has not turtled up on these demands or call outs at all. So I think that A1 has been great. Number two, one uh another thing that’s really been pleasing to me is in the lone game that we really got to see a full boat of Casper Yakonis. I didn’t think he looked as physically overwhelmed and especially at the speed of the game that he did in summer league. like that looked like a guy who had been around the team a little bit, knew his teammates a little bit, and I’m hopeful that he gets back from this injury. But I looked at Caspers and I thought to myself, look, do I think he’s going to be in the rotation right away? Probably not. But do we is it is it as far away as maybe it seemed as a a as of his age? Maybe not. Maybe not. Maybe this is a guy who can jump in there at some point. And look, the Heat really do need that that true point guard to run things, right? And and set up his teammates, especially his bigs. And I don’t know. I I think that was probably I mean that game where him and Casperis him and Kel Wear had a great game was very much the you know the highlight of the preseason I would say. so far, right? Like Orlando the first game not that great. Milwaukee kind of ugly and then you know Kell put up the big numbers but was kind of a sticker. The the the the Spurs game was probably the best allaround performance from everybody. The next Orlando game was better and then the Hawks game was kind of a kind of a blleh wasn’t wasn’t too encouraging. So Casper is showing that ability. H it’s got me intrigued. You know, I I don’t know if I came out of this span being like of these the these games being like, “Oh, he’s going to he’s going to be able to open my eyes and sell me that he’s going to be ready.” Um, and then probably the biggest surprise and most pleasant surprise out of anything to be honest with you, after a couple of clunkers, it really has felt like after the first couple of games, I took that third quarter, I would say, where he got to he got to stay in alongside Nico. Haime Hawz Jr. has had a nice preseason. He’s had a really, really nice preseason. He’s played well. He’s looks like he’s playing fast. He looks like he’s playing with confidence. He’s got some bounce to him. Um, and he looks like a guy who’s just more in attack mode. And I think that that is a pretty encouraging thing because the Heat, you know, I I do think that they do need some more creators. And I really was like I I don’t know. Like to be honest with you, I was I was I I did not have a ton of confidence that that was going to be there going into this season. I was like, “Yeah, Pel’s past him, dude.” Like that that that felt very much the case. Like Haime Hakez Jr.’s is not going to be in the rotation and he very much looks like he could be in the rotation right now and will contribute at certain points like how much of the ball will he get especially once T I don’t know I don’t think he’s going to start I am interested with this whole Drew Smith starting and I like Drew Drew I think could be a needle mover at times in the game do the Heat start him. I don’t know. I I I I like the idea of starting DaVon more and especially if you have Haime there. I think that uh but you know, I don’t know if I’m reading too much into that because while I know Eric Bolstra adores Drew Smith, I also think DaVon’s coming off of a calf. I think that they’re trying to be mindful of it. And so I I I don’t know if we read into that one too much yet. I’m not sure. I know Spo will do the thing where he likes to keep guys in their roles and things like that. So, I’m not saying dismiss it. I’m just saying I’m not positive that that’s exactly what’s going on yet. So, we’ll see. But Haime has been great, man. And and you know, he was talking to Jax yesterday after the game, Jason Jackson, and he was he he was discussing his health and this is about what he said. He goes, he says, he put the term, he says, I’m really healthy. He says, uh, you know, I’m, he goes, I’m healthy. That’s the biggest thing. I’m taking the time to take care of my body and my mentals. And we know that he’s taken the approach that he’s worked with a mental coach this year. Spo has made it to be like, hey, go out to LA, go to your comfort zone and get ready. Um, and Spo was very my like, hey, this guy works his ass off. He was doing three a days. And I was like, I gotta be honest with you. Like I was a little scared. I was like, “All right, dude. Are you like are you like fluffing up value here? Like what’s going on?” Um because I don’t know what happened last year. We know that he dealt with a ton of stomach injury. Uh stomach is there’s ones that Spo didn’t even like didn’t even show up that he was dealing with. Um and yeah, he just didn’t look like himself. Like he looked lethargic not only on top and and and maybe struggles can do this. So, I may be reading more into it than I should, but it was just like no rebounding. those second efforts weren’t there, you know, and I I just feel like he looks he does look very fresh this summer and I think that’s good news because, you know, we’re talking about offense and we talking about offensive talent and yes, I realize Haime is not exactly a threat from downtown, but at his best, he’s a very confident offensive player and the Heat need that. And you know, there were even some times yesterday where he had like some great decisions and and and passes off to to his teammates and that stuff not getting bogged down, not getting uh too spin happy. I think uh it could be definitely a value for this for this Heat team. And you know, yeah, he doesn’t maybe have the ruggedness defensively that like a Pella Larson does, but Pella still got his own things that he’s working through. Like look, Pella, I love Pella. Uh I think everybody does. How can you not love a way that guy plays basketball, but you know, a little bit with the fouls, like he’s got to he’s he’s got to get that stuff honed in because he’s not going to get that whistle, right? Like he’s a bit of a Tasmanian devil when it comes to that stuff. So yeah, I think that um I think that that that Haime’s probably boosted his stock as much as anybody this uh this this entire preseason. Like I remember I did my power rankings of players before the season and it went bam Tyler, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Nicola Yovic, DaVon Mitchell, Kel Wear, Pella Haime, Keshad Simony, Casperis, Drew, Terry Roier, and I would say you could probably move. I mean, like Haime, I know he’s not going to get more minutes than DaVon Mitchell, but yeah, he’s had a better preseason than D’Von Mitchell. D’von Mitchell hasn’t shown so much. So, I would say he’s probably like moved up at least a rank. Like, I would say he’s probably been ahead ahead of Pella. He’s played that good. And I think that honestly, I think that’s probably the guy that he had the most competition for minutes with. So, that’ll be an interesting thing to to scope out as we uh we we work our way towards the regular season. I would say like if you know because of Pella’s injuries because he hasn’t um you know he missed time I do think that Haime has taken advantage especially in these last three games like all right he’s he’s looked pretty damn good so I don’t know what it’ll mean for the regular season I hope good things but it’s been noticeable I I think anybody who’s watched these preseason games and salute to you if you have um impossible not to notice what put forth he he He he really has uh has done a good job for this uh for this Heat squad. And um yeah, I’m curious to see curious to see what this means because a healthy Himemehz is a great thing. And I think that that’s the other thing that you come out of this preseason. I think you know what Bam Norm and Wiggins can do and that’s great. I don’t necessarily know if it if it gets the gooseies flowing to anybody. Um especially with Bam, you know, slumping a little offensively and then saying that he was taking a back seat and it’s like, hey, we don’t have time for that, man. You need to you need to go pedal to the metal here. But I do think that everybody is I I think Nico, Khell, Haime, and Casperis. I think everybody’s pretty excited about those guys and and and has given the fans a little bit of bump of enthusiasm even though as a collective it hasn’t been very impressive. But those guys, the the the youth is what everybody I think is attracted to more so than even the rec uh the the vets or cuz like yeah, you’ve watched like yeah, no one pal’s a really solid scorer. Maybe it’s a little hard to get excited because he’s not really playing in clutch time. These aren’t games of consequence. So you’ll get to really know him and and and get behind him. So right now you’re kind of just prospecting and you’re looking at these guys and seeing where they’re flashing and growing and developing. And so that’s why I think that they probably have a leg up on it. But that’s that it’s it’s definitely been the best part of the preseason and it’s been kind of hard to find things because these games have not been entertaining. They haven’t won. They’ve been brickfests. And so I’m trying to find little acorns here in the forest and and and that’s where I’m at with the with it thus

Tobin has thoughts on the Miami Heat being winless through 5 games of the preseason. What matters and what is a real concern? Is the offense worse than ever? Jaime Jaquez Jr. truly back? Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis the lone highlights of preseason?
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