Kasparas Jakucionis did well to recover after a demoralizing start to his NBA tenure in the summer league. However, despite the optimism, there's a truth that Miami Heat fans must accept ahead of his rookie season: he's unlikely to play much, and he's probably going to spend most of his rookie year in the G League.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Even though there will be some within the fan base who view that potential scenario as a disappointment, it's probably what's best for his long-term career. If Jakucionis is going to develop into the star player that the Heat hopes, he's going to need a year or two of progression in the shadows.
The Heat shouldn't rush Kasparas Jakucionis
The Heat must be willing to offer him that, and the fan base should be willing to give him the patient grace that he deserves as a prospect.
Even though there was talk that Jakucionis was a prospect that deserved to be selected in the lottery, the fact is that he was the No. 20 pick in the NBA Draft for a reason. Could he still end up being one of the bigger steals of the first round? Absolutely.
However, at the same time, there were enough concerns or red flags in his game that made teams hesitate to select him in the lottery. Those were very much evident as he struggled through the first few games of his summer league stint.
And to be perfectly honest, Jakucionis didn't do much to calm many of those questions.
Despite closing out summer league on a high note, Jakucionis still struggled with turnovers and was an inconsistent 3-point shooter. The effort was there on the defensive end of the floor, but he's far from a dominant force on that end of the floor.
Fair expectations for his rookie season
Jakucionis will still need to work through each of those concerns before he starts playing big minutes for the Heat. At this point, especially considering what we saw from him during the summer league, it would be surprising if Jakucionis emerges as a consistent rotation player for the Heat this year.
Could there be a stretch when he gets some run? Absolutely. Much of that will depend on how competitive the Heat is to begin the year, and where they are in the standings down the stretch.
Make no mistake, Jakucionis should be considered a long-term project for the Heat.
But if Heat fans can trust the team's developmental system and if they truly believe that Jakucionis is the high-ceiling prospect he was labeled as coming out of college, there's no question he can be a star in the future.
At least for his rookie season, it's only fair to temper expectations. Could he defy all odds and win the starting point guard spot by the end of the year? Sure, but that does seem highly unlikely at the moment.
The Heat may have landed a good one in Jakucionis. It's just going to take some time to see the complete fruit, and heading into this rookie season, it could get dicey. Fans must be ready for that reality.