Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. says he's the 'hunted' at Summer League

LAS VEGAS – Jaime Jaquez Jr. joined the Miami Heat’s Summer League team and helped power his teammates to a competitive win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday.

Coming off an impressive rookie season, Jaquez finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

“You’re the hunter and now coming back after a year under your belt, you’re kind of the hunted,” Jaquez said.

Miami’s Summer League rotation featured X players who are on the Heat’s standard roster: Jaquez, first-round pick Kel’el Ware and second-round pick Pelle Larsson. Plus Keshad Johnson and Zyon Pullin, who are currenly on two-way contracts.

Jaquez joined the Heat’s Summer League outfit after participating on Team USA’s select team to help get the main squad ready for the Paris Games. After scrimmagng against LeBron James, Stephen Curry and others from Team USA in Las Vegas last week, Jaquez decided to stay and join the Heat’s traveling group. He’s expected to play one more game on Monday before ending his Summer League stint.

“Working on things in my game and things outside of basketball that still translate such as leadership and being very vocal — both on the defensive and offensive end and huddles,” Jaquez said when asked what he hopes to gain from his Summer League experience.

Jaquez was a leader on the Cox Pavillion court. He talked with teammates, hustled on both ends and got the offense into possessions. In some of the more interesting moments, he worked a two-man game with Ware running pick-and-roll in the middle of the floor.

Ware finished with 17 points, including his first made 3-pointer of Summer League.

“I’ve always been working on it,” Ware said of his jump shooting. “Just able to showcase it today.”