For the first time since June’s NBA Finals, the Miami Heat were back on the hardwood floor. They took on the Charlotte Hornets in their first preseason action this year. As always, we should note that preseason game results don’t matter as much. It’s mostly about getting players in rhythm, evaluating the roster, working through plays, and setting rotations. Still, it was an entertaining performance from the Heat. With that being said, here are my three takeaways from Tuesday’s action.
No Reliable True Point Guard
There’s still no reliable true point guard on the roster. Kyle Lowry remains the only true point guard on the roster. Lowry started alongside Tyler Herro on Tuesday. As evident last season, Lowry’s best role may be as a reserve. To combat this, the Heat will give more ball handling duties to Herro, Josh Richardson, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo. It’s very possible that Herro and Richardson will start together when the season starts. We got our first look at the combo during the game.
In the lineups the two players shared in the backcourt, Richardson was the one mostly handling the ball. Herro, on the other hand, played more off the ball. They had Herro running through more pin downs on the perimeter. Playing those two together makes sense. On the defensive end, Richardson can also take on the opposing team’s best guards as well.
Another Undrafted Gem?
Since the Heat Big 3 era ended, Miami has done a great job of finding undrafted gems and turning them into rotational players. We also see those players getting paid in free agency after playing with Miami. Just this past summer, we saw Gabe Vincent and Max Strus get paid. Now, Miami is seeking another gem to add to their system. And it appears that gem is Cole Swider, who has reportedly had a great camp. And he certainly showed it on Tuesday.
Swider missed his first couple of shots. But that didn’t deter him. He just kept letting it fly whenever the opportunity came, and it paid off in the end. Swider led the Heat’s 4th quarter comeback with 17 points in the period. He also made five triples as well. It’s early but it appears Miami may have found their next Duncan Robinson. If this continues, they’re going to need to lock him in quick before another team poaches him.
Jaime Jaquez is Ready
If I told you Jaime Jaquez was a rookie, you probably wouldn’t believe me. The Heat rookie looked more like a seasoned veteran player than a rookie. There’s just a lot of patience in his game. Unlike most rookies, he moved at his own pace and was never sped up. The one thing that really stood out from Jaquez’s performance was his advanced footwork. We got our first look at that midway through the second period with the play below.
After catching a pass on a cut toward the basket, Jaquez stopped at the edge of the paint, threw a ball fake at Hornets veteran forward Gordon Hayward with his left hand, spun the other way, and then stepped through for a layup with his right hand over Hayward and Hornets center Mark Williams, all while keeping his right pivot foot firmly planted to avoid the travel. Jaquez would finish the game with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Next up: The San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
