In his preseason debut for the Miami Heat, Kasparas Jakucionis showed plenty of flashes that he could one day develop into the star playmaking point guard that fans have long desired. After an up-and-down summer league performance, Jakucionis gave Heat fans much to look forward to in his 25 minutes played against the San Antonio Spurs.
Jakucionis finished with eight points, 10 assists, and two steals against the Spurs in his preseason debut. Sure, most of Jakucionis' action came against the Spurs' second unit, but it was still encouraging for the Heat.
After a summer in which there were questions about whether Jakucionis would even be in a position to demand minutes in the Heat's rotation, it's pretty clear that he brings an element to the team's roster that they simply don't have.
Jakucionis is a pure point guard by every definition of it, and his playmaking prowess jumps off the screen when watching him play. Jakucionis finished with 10 assists on the night; no one else on the team finished with more than three.
Perhaps the biggest encouraging sign for the Heat was that he only had two turnovers. A 10:2 assist-to-turnover ratio will get it done for Jakucionis, especially after a summer in which he truly struggled in that aspect of his game. Additionally, that was also one of his biggest red flags coming out of college.
While I wouldn't suggest that Jakucionis has solved his turnover issues, it was great to see him get off on the right foot in the team's first preseason game.
Jakucionis could be special for the Heat
But even beyond the stat sheet, it's easy to see how unique a talent Jakucionis can be for the Heat. For as good as Davion Mitchell, Pelle Larsson, Tyler Herro, and even Dru Smith have proven to be as young guards, there's something special about Jakucionis when he has the ball in his hands.
Whether it's on the break in transition or when he's driving to the cup, Jakucionis always has the ability to make a special play when he's in command.
Sure, Jakucionis didn't shoot the basketball at a great clip, finishing just 2-7 from the floor and 1-5 from deep, but his playmaking more than makes up for that. And for a team that has a huge need in that department, the continued rise of Jakucionis this season could be a game-changing development for the Heat.
It was just one preseason game, but the Heat should be excited about the potential development of Jakucionis this season. And if he does make a quick stride, Miami may have already found their playmaking star they've been desperately searching for.