Kasparas Jakucionis has performed three summer season league matches and is dissatisfied to this point, however the Miami Warmth will not be apprehensive about his long-term outlook.
On the twentieth choose within the NBA Draft, the Miami Warmth added excellent Illinois level guard Casparasjaxionis.
Earlier than his profitable season with the Huge Ten, he was anticipated to coach and play for Barcelona within the Spanish league and be prepared for the subsequent step.
Nonetheless, his first show left loads to be desired. Jakucionis averaged 4 factors, two assists, 1.3 metal and 4 turnovers in three summer season league matches, creating three pointers and sinking solely certainly one of his 15 photographs from the ground.
In faculty, it was clear that Jakucionis will not be an impressive athlete, however he has nice passing chops, stable ball dealing with and is keen to do the soiled work excellent for the Miami Warmth, the place he wants a real level guard.
After buying and selling with Norman Powell, the Warmth are actually able to win and compete within the Jap Convention, however Jakucionis’ play within the Summer season League does not stimulate a lot confidence.
Nonetheless, I’m certain the fever can develop right into a excessive stage {of professional}.
“It is an ongoing work,” summed Summer season League coach Eric Glass. “He’ll proceed to enhance.”
Glass picked one defensive concern that required a bit of labor, saying, “He is just a little an excessive amount of fouling in the present day and I really like his aggression in the direction of protection.”
The warmth from Jimmy Butler to Bam Adebayo, Shane Batier, Udonis Haslem and Alonzo Morning was at all times constructed with defensive thoughts, and the one saving grace of Jaxionis’ play was his defensive efforts.
“He is actually serving to us on that aspect of the ball,” Glass continued.
Heading into the offseason, together with Jaxionis on the town, Miami appeared to make use of an outsized lineup of Jaxionis, Tyler Hero, Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo and Keruel Put on.
Jakucionis is clearly not prepared to begin. Robinson has been traded for the Detroit Pistons, and Powell is presently on the town.
Nonetheless, Powell has just one yr left on his contract and is not essentially a long-term resolution, so when he learns ropes, the warmth has the posh of changing into affected person with the rookie.
First-year level guards hardly ever have success (equivalent to Scoot Henderson, Markelle Fultz, and Reed Sheppard, amongst others), and Jakucionis isn’t any exception.
The summer season league is ripe for overreaction, however the warmth is aware of they’ve loads of time to benefit from their useful first spherical picks.
