Kasparas Jakucionis has played three Summer League games and has so far been a disappointment, although the Miami Heat aren’t concerned about his long-term outlook.
With the 20th pick in the NBA Draft, the Miami Heat added standout Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who was expected to be the steal of the draft.
Before his successful season in the Big Ten, he trained and played for Barcelona in the Spanish League and was expected to be ready for the next step.
However, his first display left a lot to be desired. Jakucionis averaged four points, two assists, 1.3 steals, and four turnovers in his three Summer League games while failing to make a 3-pointer and sinking only one of his 15 shots from the floor.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesMiami Heat find silver lining with Kasparas Jakucionis
In college, it was apparent that Jakucionis is not a standout athlete, although he has great passing chops, solid ball-handling, and is willing to do the dirty work, a seemingly perfect fit for the Miami Heat, who need a true point guard.
After trading for Norman Powell, the Heat are ready to win now and compete in the Eastern Conference, although Jakucionis’ play in the Summer League doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.
Still, the Heat are confident that he can develop into a high-level pro.
“It’s a work in progress,” summed up Summer League coach Eric Glass. “He’s going to continue to get better.”
Glass did pick out one defensive issue that needs a bit of work, commenting: “His fouling was a little bit too much today, love his aggressiveness on defense.”
The Heat, from Jimmy Butler, to Bam Adebayo, Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem, and Alonzo Mourning, have always built with defense in mind, and the only saving grace of Jakucionis’ play so far has been his defensive effort.
“He’s really helping us on that side of the ball,” Glass continued.
Heat not expected to start Jakucionis
Heading into the offseason, with Jakucionis in town, it looked like Miami would employ an oversized lineup of Jakucionis, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, and Kel’el Ware.
Jakucionis is clearly not ready to start, Robinson was traded to the Detroit Pistons, and Powell is now in town, all but cementing the Heat’s backcourt with Herro and Powell leading the way.
Still, Powell only has one year left on his contract and is not necessarily a long-term solution, so the Heat have the luxury of being patient with their rookie as he learns the ropes.
First-year point guards rarely find success (Scoot Henderson, Markelle Fultz, Reed Sheppard, to name a few) and Jakucionis is no exception.
While the Summer League is ripe for overreaction, the Heat know that they have plenty of time to get the most from their prized first-round pick.