The Miami Heat are at the absolute peak of perfection when it comes to finding, unearthing, and continuously developing undervalued or unheralded talent in the NBA. They do it year in and year out.
They also excel at getting the most out of guys that didn’t quite do so in other situations, while they are also very adept at helping guys who need a resurgence in their careers. So, whether a player is a player with no track record, has a bad one, or needs to remind people of their existing track record of performance in the league, the Miami Heat are the place to be.
Their next potential find of the type, specifically of the “unheralded” variety, is Jamal Cain. A do-it-all slashing, rangy, and gangly forward, he is the exact type of player that the Miami Heat take and make key rotational pieces out of.
Like several guys before him, his teammate in Caleb Martin for one example, he is the type of utility piece that the Miami Heat will be able to extract extreme value out of as the season progresses, both for his prowess on the court and for how much it cost them to employ said prowess.
The Miami Heat excel at getting the most out of any player and that ranges from the experienced to the newest. And Jamal Cain is the next in line.
That’s why this is his most important stat heading into his rookie year, the 2022-23 NBA season.
Jamal Cain’s Most Important Stat Heading Into 2022-23: Games Played With Big Club
Projection: Maximum Of 50 Games
The NBA’s rule on Two-Way Contracts allows for players to play 50 of their team’s 82 contests. And while the Miami Heat may get him some action early on to give him a feel for things to prepare for and work on in Sioux Falls, Cain’s games should be preserved.
As injury sets in and the rotation starts to clarify itself a bit, working Cain into it or realizing where he can best be utilized within it will become easier. However, with the way he plays the game and his chest of tools, he must be utilized in some form or fashion.
And just based on the fact that the Miami Heat tend to operate more intelligently than most, you imagine that’ll come down the stretch as they need him and the wins the most. Well, there’s that or the fact that they could choose to sign him to a regular deal if or when he uses up all of his allocated Two-Way games.
Who knows, but it’ll be worth monitoring. And all of that is why Cain’s most important stat heading into the year is his games played.