The Miami Heat have young talent, but who will they have to give up to complete a Damian Lillard trade? The seven-time All-Star wants to come to South Beach, but the Trail Blazers are unwilling to accept the Heat’s current offer. Portland is in no hurry, and the saga could drag on for months.
Miami is fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals and is poised to make another run with or without Dame. Jimmy Butler takes his game to another level in the postseason, and Bam Adebayo is one of the league’s best centers. No team wants to face the Heat in the playoffs, but losing Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Cody Zeller, Omer Yurtseven, and Udonis Haslem this offseason will hurt.
The Heat need to replace that talent and what better way than by developing it? They have had a ton of success uncovering hidden gems, but who is their next undrafted find? Is he already on the roster? Here is a look at what Miami should do with their current talent under 25 years old.
3 Players the Miami Heat should develop, 2 they shouldn’t
Develop: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Heat took Jaquez Jr. 18th overall in June’s draft after four years at UCLA. The 6’7 wing just keeps improving, and he dropped 22 points in his first summer league game. Fans did not get too much more as Jaquez was injured in the second game of the California Classic. The shoulder issue is considered minor, but Miami did not play him in Las Vegas.
The Heat are high on Jaquez Jr. and believe he fits right into their culture. That usually bodes well for Miami as the last two times they picked in the teens, the franchise came away with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
The biggest question about the 6’7 wing coming out of college is his shooting. He made just 32.8 percent of his 3-point tries during his four seasons at UCLA. If he can transform into a league-average shooter, Jaime Jaquez Jr. could be a key rotation piece for the Miami Heat for the next decade-plus. They should focus on his development and only part with the 22-year-old if they are getting a superstar in return.
Don’t Develop: Jamaree Bouyea
Bouyea went undrafted in 2022 after five years at the University of San Francisco. The 6’2 guard led his team to the NCAA Tournament in 2022 as he earned his second straight All-WCC honors.
He started in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s affiliate, where he was an outstanding playmaker and defender in the Showcase Cup. Bouyea increased his scoring during the regular season between two different ten-day contracts. The Heat liked what they saw in the G League enough to give the 24-year-old a two-way contract this summer.
The Heat could call on Bouyea plenty this season as Kyle Lowry is the only true point guard on their roster. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro will lessen the playmaking load, but the Heat would prefer to move on from Lowry’s expiring contract. Adding Damian Lillard could make this a moot point, but Bouyea likely gets a shot to play this season.
The Miami Heat should not prioritize his development because he is undersized and already 24 years old. If he is not ready to play a role this season, the franchise should be willing to cut bait quickly and move on.
Can he be the next undrafted gem? Jamaree Bouyea’s chance is coming during training camp, so stay tuned.
Develop: Orlando Robinson
Robinson went undrafted in 2022 after three years at Fresno State. The Heat signed him to an exhibit-10 contract last summer, but it took three different contracts to keep him in Miami for the entire season. The 23-year-old averaged just 3.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game over 31 NBA contests, but he was dominant in the G League.
Robinson was impactful on both ends of the floor with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was scoring over 20 points per game, blocking shots, rebounding, and acting as a secondary playmaker.
The seven-footer translated that to summer league as he averaged 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.6 minutes per game over six contests. It is a very guard-oriented game during the summer, so producing monster numbers only further proves Robinson’s impact.
Orlando Robinson could be the next undrafted find by the Miami Heat, but he needs more time to develop. The franchise should be looking to help him improve his game in hopes he can become a key rotation piece in the NBA quickly.
Robinson is on a standard contract, and he will compete for backup big man minutes during training camp. No matter the result, the Heat need to develop the seven-footer.
Don’t Develop: Nikola Jovic
The Heat selected Jovic in the first round in 2022, but the 20-year-old barely played as a rookie. He did have a six-game stretch in November where he averaged 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. That was the highlight as the forward was mostly out of the rotation, and Jovic even struggled when given minutes in the G League.
He had two years of professional experience before arriving in the NBA, but the 6’10 forward needs time to develop. It is way too early to write him off. The 20-year-old is still five to seven years away from his prime, but there should be some worry after he struggled mightily in the G League.
Jovic performed better in summer league as he averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 24.9 minutes per game, but it was over a brief four-game sample.
The 6’10 forward can handle the ball a bit as a big man, and there are plenty of flashes to get excited about. Should the Heat still be prioritizing his development? His rookie season did not show enough, but it is too soon to make a definitive call. If forced, it is a don’t develop, but Nikola Jovic could quickly jump to the other side of the ledger this season, which is something worth watching.
Develop: Tyler Herro
Herro is only 23 years old and has scored over 20 points per game in back-to-back seasons. He is often underrated by fans and media members, but it is tough to argue with his production. The 6’5 wing was injured during this year’s run to the NBA Finals, but he played the third-most minutes and was the fourth-leading scorer during their finals trip in the bubble. Herro was the team’s third-leading scorer in their conference finals run in 2022, despite playing through a groin injury.
He is not the prototypical player. Herro struggles on defense, and his production dips mightily in the playoffs. Teams are going to force him to defend on the ball, and he needs to figure out how to score when the defense tightens.
Still, Tyler Herro is 23 years old. He is likely multiple years away from his peak and has already twice averaged 20 points per game. Jimmy Butler didn’t put up 20 a night until he was 25, and most players never do it.
The Miami Heat should look to keep Tyler Herro out of a superstar trade because he is a blossoming young talent. He ranks 74th in The Ringer’s player rankings right now, and the best is still yet to come. Herro could quickly vault into the top 50, and the Heat could regret giving up a young talent, even one that has flaws, for an aging superstar.
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