The Miami Heat drafted Kasparas Jakucionis with the 20th pick. The rookie playmaker could help fill some of the on-ball creation gaps within Erik Spoelstra’s current rotation.
However, Jakucionis didn’t do himself much justice during his first taste of professional basketball. He struggled throughout the California Classic and then blew hot and cold while featuring in Las Vegas Summer League.
In a recent article for The Athletic, former Memphis Grizzlies executive John Hollinger shared his concerns regarding the young playmaker.
“The plague of turnovers, however, is a different story, as it followed a troubling trend from his freshman season at Illinois,” Hollinger wrote. “Jakucionis had 22 miscues, set against 14 made baskets and 15 assists, and that’s just not a survivable rate from an on-ball guard. Mix in some iffy finishing inside the paint and it’s clear Miami’s player development machine has some work to do to get Jakučionis NBA game-ready.”
Jakucionis reportedly fell in the draft due to concerns surrounding his decision-making and turnovers. As such, it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see him struggling in that regard. Nevertheless, Miami is likely confident it can help the rookie develop in those areas and become a complete offensive hub in the near future.
Heat Happy to Have Jakucionis
During a recent conversation with Keith Smith of Spotrac, a member of the Heat’s front office explained why the franchise is excited about its latest draft pick.
“I’m not going to tell you where he was on our board, but it was a heck of a lot higher than where we picked him!” The anonymous executive told Smith. “The great thing about Kas is that he wasn’t very good in California. And he was mad about that. Here (Las Vegas) he was much better. That’s what will work for him in the NBA. He’s not going to settle for anything other than being great.”
If Jakucionis can remain humble, put in the work, and listen to those around him, he could develop into one of the best offensive talents in his draft class. His playmaking will obviously be his calling card, but there’s also upside as a genuine three-level scorer.
Heat’s Jakucionis Gets Honest on California Classic
When speaking with Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Jakucionis gave an honest assessment of his performances during the California Classic.
“I think I need to settle in more, play at my own pace, don’t get sped up much as I was in these 3 games,” Jakucionis said. “I didn’t feel myself in those games, but I think that’s normal. It’s a process, so I’m just happy to be here, be able learn from coaches, from other guys by working out, watching film and understanding the game.”
Jakucionis continued.
“I think I’m just not in a rhythm. I’m just trying to get back in a rhythm after all the process I had. So I’m just trying to get back to myself and just trying to execute as hard as I can. When I go to the court, I just give 100%. Even if I don’t do the best on offense, I try to give 100% on defense and just try to help the team to win.”
Considering how well Jakucionis bounced back from his struggles in the California Classing, there’s every reason to remain confident he can figure things out at the next level.
However, Heat fans will likely need to remain patient. Plenty more mistakes are going to be made as he continues to learn the ropes and develop his game.
Former NBA Executive Raises Questions About Heat Rookie