Miami Heat: Three players poised for a breakout season in 2019-20

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NEW YORK, NY MARCH 30: Derrick Jones Jr. #5 of the Miami Heat shoots the ball against the New York Knicks on March 30, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Derrick Jones Jr.

Derrick Jones Jr. is an exciting and explosive athlete with what appears to be a bright future ahead of him in Miami. The Heat made sure to keep him out of any deal or even speculation for a deal this summer while they were wheeling and dealing for Jimmy Butler and attempting to get their hands on Russell Westbrook.

While he’s offensively challenged outside of his spectacular monster dunks (62 of his 160 made field goals were dunks last season), he’s a decent defender in favorable matchups. He’s a bit undersized at 6’7″ and 200 lbs, so with some work in the weight room he can improve in the strength department on that end.

Jones was an unimpressive shooter, but his new teammate Jimmy Butler can provide a road map to development. Butler’s first three years in the NBA were statistically similar to Jones, but Jones is just 21 years old, still younger than Butler was in his Chicago Bulls rookie season at the age of 22.

While “culture” may be overrated in some circles, Jones can benefit significantly from not just Heat culture and head coach Erik Spoelstra but from learning under a player who developed from the same archetype he now fits.

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