Jaime Jaquez Jr. spent the season almost entirely coming off the bench, and he made the role look like a starting assignment. The Miami Heat forward averaged career highs of 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 50.7% from the field in a season that ended without a playoff berth.
Erik Spoelstra had used Jaquez as both a part-time starter and a part-time reserve in his first two seasons, but this year he was moved to the bench full-time. He played about 28 minutes a night and held his own as a scoring and playmaking option, even as the team’s season tilted toward disappointment.
The production stood out because it came in the middle of uncertainty. Jaquez was linked to trade rumors leading up to the deadline, and Miami was considering bigger swings for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant. The Heat never made a deal involving Jaquez before the deadline, and he stayed in place long enough to finish with the strongest statistical season of his career.
There was one clear blemish. Jaquez shot 31.7% from three-point range, only a slight improvement on his 32.2% mark as a rookie, which kept defenses from having to treat him like a proven perimeter threat. Even so, his efficiency around the floor and the breadth of his game made him one of the few reliable positives in a lost season for Miami.
That is why the season reads less like a benching than a reveal. In a year when the Heat missed the playoffs and spent time chasing star trade possibilities, Jaquez showed he can carry real offensive responsibility without needing to start to matter.
