Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has had nothing but praise to offer when speaking about rookie point guard Kasparas Jakucionis. He most recently described him as a "pitbull," and it's almost as if the team is taking the complete opposite approach with Jakucionis than they've been taking with Kel'el Ware.
Where Spo publicly criticizes Ware, he goes above and beyond with praise for Jakucionis. It's pretty obvious that Spo loves the way Jakucionis approaches the game, and it could reveal the biggest potential problem with Ware.
Even though it's somewhat of a mystery as to what we should expect from Jakucionis this season, it's clear that Spo (and the Heat) love his intangibles enough. Jakucionis is far from a finished product, but it's clear that the raw talent is present.
And for a strong developmental organization like the Heat, that's all they need to be sold on a prospect. If they believe Jakucionis is doing everything in his power to put himself in the best position to succeed, the Heat will reciprocate that respect.
The Heat love Jakucionis
That's what we're seeing develop between Spo and Jakucionis.
The true test will ultimatley come once the regular season arrives. Historically speaking, Spo has been generally hesitant to play rookies right away. Could Jakucionis be the exception? In his lone extended preseason showcase, he did look awfully good.
In what was his first real action in a Heat uniform (aside from summer league, which is not entirely the same), Jakucionis was the team's best playmaker in uniform. For a team that has a desperate need for a natural point guard, that had to be a good feeling for the organization.
Why Jakucionis could be a night one contributor
In his preseason debut for the Heat, Jakucionis finished with 10 assists. Even if he isn't fully developed as a scorer, if he can be that level of playmaker on a semi-consistent level, it's going to be awfully difficult for Spo to keep him off the floor.
At this point, especially with how much Spo clearly is a fan of Jakucionis, the only thing that could keep him out of the good graces of the Heat is injuries. Unfortunately, he's already battled a couple of minor ones in training camp and this preseason. While they've been minor, they've also been enough to keep him out of action.
That's not ideal. It's certainly something to keep a close eye on as we inch closer and closer to the start of the regular season.
One thing is clear, though, and it's the fact that Spo has an affinity for Jakucionis. It should give him an upper hand for minutes heading into the beginning of the season.