The Miami Heat officially closed their preseason slate with a laughable 0-6 record. Thankfully, none of that will matter once the regular season begins. Before opening night arrives, let's look back at three exciting and two concerning observations from the Heat's (possibly) back-breaking preseason.
Exciting: Norman Powell is a great addition
Even though the Heat weren't very successful as a team this preseason, there were some bright spots. The play of Norman Powell was certainly one of them. Powell closed the preseason by averaging 16 points on 45 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
If nothing else, it does seem as if the Heat will be able to rely on Powell as a strong contributor to the team. And if the worst-case scenario does play out for Miami this year, and they're not very competitive, the Heat will have a strong trade chip to use at the deadline in Powell.
Concerning: Why is Erik Spoelstra so critical of Kel'el Ware?
This is an honest question that I hope we get a clearer answer to at some point in the near future. Why is Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra so critical of Kel'el Ware? I understand he's trying to push him to new heights, and obviously believes in his talent, but it is quite strange that Spo has publicly called him out twice in the matter of a few months.
It's certainly not ideal.
Throughout the preseason, Ware had a strong showing. Whether that will translate to a spot in the starting 5 on opening night remains to be seen. But when Spo "calls out" Ware, he answers. It's just an odd pattern, one that demands monitoring.
Exciting: Kasparas Jakucionis looks like a steal
The sample size is extremely small, but it's hard for the Heat fan base not to be excited about Kasparas Jakucionis. In the one game he played extended minutes in the preseason, he looked like a real steal.
In that game where he logged 25 minutes, Jakucionis finished with eight points, 10 assists, and two steals. He was just 2-7 from the field overall, but the playmaking prowess was a welcome sight to the Heat, and that has to have this coaching staff fired up about his future development.
The injuries are a true concern, and two of them kept him from truly gaining valuable experience in the preseason, but the raw talent and natural basketball acumen are obvious when watching Jakucionis.
Concerning: The injuries are already piling up
Is it too early to worry about injuries? All throughout the preseason, the Heat battled injury after injury. Even up to the final preseason game, the Heat weren't 100 percent healthy. And that has to be a concern heading into the start of the season.
Tyler Herro will be out to begin the season, and there are questions about Nikola Jovic and Kasparas Jakucionis' availability heading into opening night. Miami could've greatly benefited from the preseason. Instead, it was more about surviving. That's a real shame.
Exciting: Jaime Jaquez Jr. may be ready to bounce back
There's a strong argument to be made that Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been the biggest story for the Heat this preseason. After what many would describe to be a sophomore slump, JJJ has shown some signs of turning his fortune around this season.
In the preseason, he was one of the most consistent players on the roster, averaging 11 points and three assists on 44 percent shooting from the field and 57 percent shooting from 3-point range. If this is the JJJ the Heat are going to get this season, it would certainly be a pleasant surprise.
There are some clear signs of concern for the Heat as the regular season quickly approaches. However, I also believe it's unfair to project how good Miami will be or won't be based on a preseason.
Add in the fact that the Heat never had a true dress rehearsal because of the injuries, and it will be interesting to see how the opening week of the year goes for Miami.