Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s candidacy for major NBA award is stronger than ever

It would appear that Jaime Jaquez Jr. has found his place with the Miami Heat after two seasons going back and forth between a starter and a bench player. It's not necessarily that Jaquez couldn't find a place that fit him; it's that the Heat have dealt with so many injuries over the years, they needed him everywhere. 

This season, however, things have been different, and Jaquez's role has been consistent coming off the bench. What's even more solidified now as well is how good he's played in this role, and head coach Erik Spoelstra, it would appear, is more than comfortable with the situation. 

Jaquez, aside from Norman Powell, a fellow role player himself, has been one of the few consistent players for the Heat all season, while others like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro have either struggled to produce or, in Herro's case, to stay healthy. Jaquez, on the other hand, has struggled with neither, and it's why he's a leading candidate for a major NBA award. 

Sixth Man of the Year is calling Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s name

The 2025-26 NBA season has been, by far, Jaquez's best since he entered the league in 2023. Incredibly, and thanks to his own efforts and skill, Jaquez averaged 28 minutes per game in his rookie campaign — a mark few rookies achieve unless they're generational talents. 

Jaquez is not a generational talent; however, he's working to become a Heat franchise staple for years to come thanks to how hard he works every day and the trust Spoelstra clearly has in him, as he did from the very start. Spoelstra was calling plays for Jaquez in his first week in the league. How many rookies get that treatment?

If not a generational talent, Jaquez certainly exceeded expectations, and fast forward three seasons, and here he is putting up the best statistics of his career, and in the running for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. 

This season, Jaquez's role has shifted to a consistent bench player, and he has excelled in this role more than in previous ones. His points per game are higher (15.0) while his rebounds (5.1) and assists (4.8) have also risen to their best. On top of that, he's shooting 50% from the field for the first time in three years. 

Coming off the bench, Jaquez has stabilized the Heat's second unit, while still playing exceptionally well alongside Adebayo, Herro, and whoever Spoelstra has starting that night — he's had to play Russian roulette with his rotations for what seems like the entire regular season to date. 

Jaquez can also create his own offense, which has been critical to his uptick in offensive production, which means all the more trust from Spoelstra. He's impactful every time he walks onto the floor, and he's been a major reason the Heat haven't sunk their season beyond total recovery. 

Jaquez is a leading candidate for the Sixth Man Award because, among all the known names coming off the bench for their teams, Jaquez's numbers are at the top, and his production is most valuable. Only one player in Heat franchise history has taken home the Sixth Man of the Year honor, Jaquez's teammate, Herro, for the 2021-22 season. 

Herro has since solidified his spot as a starter in the NBA, and perhaps Jaquez can one day do the same. For now, he's the Heat's best player off the bench, and if the Sixth Man of the Year award calls his name, he can accept it knowing full well he earned it every night.