NBA Analyst Already Questioning Miami Heat's Loyalty To Jaime Jaquez?

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 30, 2024

Apr 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) passes the ball against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are armed with the assets necessary for a win-now move in hopes of an NBA championship push.

Rising sophomore Jaime Jaquez Jr. is at the top of the list of intriguing players. The Heat's front office could consider moving a load of capital for a superstar if the opening half of the regular season is a success. It's hard to imagine team president Pat Riley will part with Jaquez easily, considering his promising rookie campaign.

Still, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale ranked the 23-year-old as the league's third-best trade asset, raising speculation about his security in Miami.

He is a 6'6" universal adapter with three years left on his rookie-scale deal," Favale wrote. "Shaky three-point shooting and advanced age relative to most sophomores could cap Jaquez's curb appeal. But his capacity for filling in gaps, at a high level, renders him infinitely scalable. This all presumes the Miami Heat would entertain moving him. That's arguable."

Jaquez was a rumored piece of the deal that would've landed star guard Damian Lillard with the Heat last offseason. His name was only involved due to a lack of proof in his potential. Riley saw him average 11.9 points on 48.9 percent shooting as a rookie, solidifying himself as a key future piece alongside All-Star Bam Adebayo.

The Heat's organization rarely acts at a moment's notice, meaning any Jaquez trade is far down the road.

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

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