Q: Your story about camp competition makes me think Kasparas Jakucionis won’t be a factor at the start of the season. I may be wrong, but No. 20 picks don’t often sit. – Edwin.
A: First, the thought regarding Kasparas Jakucionis’ initial Heat role mostly is a factor of the Heat’s depth at wing. If there was such a thing as a pre-camp depth chart, Kasparas wouldn’t be ahead of Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell, and likely not ahead of Pelle Larsson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Dru Smith (Terry Rozier is another matter). But to your point, No. 20 comes with no guarantees, as with Cleveland’s Jaylon Tyson a year ago or Houston’s Cam Whitmore two seasons ago. Even Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, taken at No. 20 in 2021, took time to round into the elite talent that he now stands as. So, yes, patience likely will be the pathway for Kasparas, even with skill that had him viewed by some as a potential lottery pick. And remember, not even lottery picks are locks for rotation roles as rookies, as Reed Shepherd, Rob Dillingham and others from the 2024 draft can attest.
Q: Good run from Simone Fontecchio at EuroBasket. Excited to see what he can bring. – Jules.
A: While the shooting wasn’t great from Simone Fontecchio at EuroBasket, he also, as was evident in Sunday’s loss to Slovenia, was at times forcing the action due to the limitations of those alongside on Italy’s roster. With the Heat, it will be about taking the best shots at the best moments. What did look good for Simone at EuroBasket was the energy and effort. That assuredly is embraced by the Heat.
Q: Still not sure which team will be better, the Heat or the Dolphins? – Fil.
A: Yes, still not sure. Because as bad as it looked for the Dolphins on Sunday (and it looked plenty bad), also consider the start of the Heat’s schedule, when they will be underdogs in all but one of the first eight games. So uneven starts could wind up being a common thread, unless the Heat overachieve.