The Miami Heat were down five players in both of their first two preseason games. Tyler Herro continues to recover from his foot issue, while Terry Rozier, Davion Mitchell, Pelle Larsson, and Kasparas Jakucionis sat out with issues that are considered day-to-day.
The good news for the Heat is that while the main starters were in, the team showed promising signs in both games.
The bad news is the reality that even when the Heat heal up, Miami might have to rely on a player who has yet to prove he can be relied upon.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. in line for big minutes
Miami's starting lineup in preseason thus far has been notable because it's included the pairing of Nikola Jovic and Bam Adebayo, but also included in the starting five was Jaime Jaquez Jr.
In the first game, he wound up playing over 20 minutes, had just six points off 2-7 shooting, and was -13 on the night in +/-. In game two, Jaquez finished with nine points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Obviously, once Miami is healthy, JJJ is not going to be a starter, but through these first two preseason games, we are reminded of the precarious setup of Miami's roster when it comes to guards.
Getting Norman Powell in the offseason was huge, and Mitchell showcased during the playoffs some potential to be a sneaky good addition.
But then, once you get past Herro, who else is on Miami's roster that Heat fans are going to truly trust to rotate in at guard?
Jakucionis is still just a rookie and didn't have an amazing Summer League, Larsson did have a great Summer League but is still unproven, and Rozier is Rozier.
Which means yeah, Jaquez Jr. starting in preseason thus far isn't Plan A, but it also isn't that far off the scent from what the Heat's rotations will look like early on, especially with Herro out.
The issue JJJ had last year was just a general inability to hit open shots from three. Coincidentally, his issue in preseason thus far has been struggling at the rim.
Either way, the pressure is going to continue to build for the third-year man out of UCLA who lost favor with Erik Spoelstra down the stretch last year but appears to be in line for a big role to start 2025-26.