Miami Heat Star Ready For Responsibility Of Guarding Opponents' Best Players?

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 19, 2024

Mar 13, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks on against Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during a free throw in second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat rising star Jaime Jaquez Jr. is ready to take a serious leap in his sophomore season.

He's so eager to make the jump that one of his biggest focuses this offseason is preparing to guard the opponents' top players. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward has the frame, along with experience in the post at UCLA, to defend numerous positions. Jaquez's other priority is improving his shot from the arc, where he knocked down 32.2 percent on 2.7 attempts last season.

"Definitely my three-point shooting for sure," Jaquez told Miami Heat On SI's Anthony Pasciolla. "Then my ability to guard on the defensive end, being matched up with other teams best players, being able to shut them down—that's something I'm really looking to improve on for next year."

Although the defensive responsibilities will largely fall on stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo next season, Jaquez could find himself in the position by 2026. Butler will seek a maximum contract extension in free agency next summer, whether it's from the Heat or elsewhere. If he opts to compete for a championship with a different team, the 23-year-old claims the top spot in their forward room.

Jaquez never relied on an ability to thrive from the outside in his four years at UCLA, so the inefficiency in his rookie campaign is understandable. He has been praised for his play this summer with the USA Select Team as well as NBA Summer League, meaning fans shouldn't be surprised when the leap to stardom is made.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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