While Jimmy Butler distracts, 2 Miami Heat youngsters turned a corner

In another week that saw off-the-court shenanigans get more press than the play between the 94 feet, the Miami Heat went 2-2. While Miami easily could've gone 3-1 if it didn't blow that lead to the De'Aaron Fox-less Kings, it took steps in the right direction. Butler's absence has allowed one of your core members to blossom.

1. Jamie Jaquez is surging with more reps
2. Tracking the pros and cons of Kel'el Ware
3. Just throw it up to 7
4. Duncan Robinsons shines in more than one way
5. Tyler Herro's strong All-Star competition 

Jamie Jaquez is surging with more reps

If anybody has benefited from Jimmy Butler's absence the most, it's been Jaime Jaquez Jr. It's still debatable if his slow start was due to nagging injuries or lack of opportunities.

Regardless of what side you fall on, he's undeniably been better with this uptick in usage.

Jaquez averaged 36.5 touches a game in the first 33 games of the Heat season, that number jumped to 67 over the last three games. His time of possession is second on the Heat in this stretch. Jaquez is making the most of the Jimmy-less world. 

Butler and Jaquez play similar games, occupying similar spaces. That is why Butler was such a great teammate for Jaquez to have as a young player. He came into the league with craft and footwork, and learning from Butler amplified those skills.

The mentee has been able to showcase his sensei moves. Jaquez averaged 18/6/8 over the last three games. He earned his 1st triple-double of his career in the King's loss. Jaquez is playing with confidence and a certain demeanor.

His jump shot hasn't returned to that killer stretch he had last season, but he knocked down 3-5 3s in the second Jazz outing and delivered a crunch time triple.

The league hasn't figured him out— if he gets enough feel in a given game, he's still one of the craftiest under-the-basket players around today. His footwork is dazzling cinema. One two-step, and that's a bucket.

Tracking the pros and cons of Kel'el Ware

We visibly see all of Kel'el Ware's teammates getting on him for dropping his hands. They're conveying the message to stay vertical.

In his 18.2 minutes of play this week, Ware frequently got out of position by mistiming blocks or committing avoidable fouls. These positional lapses lead to losing rebounds. 

He got off to a strong start, but since he's been playing, more teams are finishing better with him at the rim (59% while defending the rim). He's still blocking shots, but opponents are more open to attacking him. He suffers from the same thing his teammates got on him for: lack of awareness. 

Talk about instincts taking over. Attack Ware and he's bound to load up for the block. This leaves him out of position to alter/block the shot, rebound, and foul. Ware's 4.5 foul rate ranks in the 17th percentile amongst bigs. Anticipation is the main factor. 

Having a 7'4 wingspan comes in handy and swades one to attempt to erase shots. The natural gifts are one thing, but timing and positioning will keep Ware on the floor. His mistiming jumps add to his rebounding woes. 

These can't happen if he's the center next to Bam Adebayo. Anticipation isn't easy to clean up, but film sessions and game reps are the best teachers. He's been playing much more lately.

This block against the Jazz should be routine. He doesn't need to do much to affect a shot. Timing, verticality, and positioning will take Ware a long way.

He's going through rookie curves on defense, which is very understandable, and we're giving Ware grace. One area in which he doesn't require grace is in the lob game. 

Just throw it up to 7

Talk about jump-off-the-couch basketball! Ware's catch radius is insane-- teammates can throw it anywhere, and he will get it. 

No one confuses Duncan Robsonson with a point guard, but he's a high-IQ player willing to pass. He definitely threw this anywhere, but the Ware man was able to slam a ground-shaking dunk home. 

Tyler Herro spoke about Ware's brashness, telling teammates to throw it anywhere. If he's converting these lobs, he unlocks something the Heat haven't had since Hassan Whiteside. Bam could be this type of lob threat, but teammates don't throw them enough. It could simply come down to their height discrepancy (6 ' 8 vs 7 ' 0).

Jaquez got in on the action against the Jazz throwing ware a lob out of the Spain PnR. This is fun. I can stomach watching this, even if this Heat team isn't a contender.

Nikola Jovic is putting together some games now (nice way to attack an elite defender). His passing has popped. This lob to Ware is a good pass, and you'd love to see Ware keep the ball up high and finish here like he does 9/10. Ware's had his ups and downs, but more reps and minutes will help Miami gauge what they have.

Duncan Robinsons shines in more than one way

The dribble handoff has always been stable in basketball playbooks worldwide, but the uptick in the space-and-pace era has been drastic. Since his breakout season in 2020, no one has operated better in the DHO than Duncan Robinson. 

Duncan Robinson DHO frequency and efficiency 

2020: 23.5 (2nd) 1.38 PPP

2021: 23.7 (2nd) 1.06 

2022: 22.8 (1st) 1.04

2023: 21.4 (2nd) 1.12

2024: 17.1 (4th) 0.99

2025: 16.8 (3rd) 0.90

Robinson is the only player to have been in the top five in DHO frequency in each of the last five years. Lakers Head coach JJ Reddick, Kevin Huerter, and Garrison Matthews also had multiple top-five seasons.

Those are elite shooters, too, and that's the most important thing when running this action. Defenders tend to get stuck and go under the handoff, and you need to make them pay with open 3s.

While shooting is key here, Robinson mixes in drives and slick passes when teams overplay his shot. His driving game took a ginormous leap last year, but he's slowed down a tiny bit this year, sprinkling in drives more scarcely. 

Robinson's shooting is at the top of the scouting report, so when the Warriors send two to the ball, Robinson finds the crack and hits Bam for an easy deuce. 

The deep-range shooting is just as impressive. Robinson is in range as soon as he rubs shoulders with a teammate off the DHO. Defenses better step up. But if they do that, he's versatile enough to crush them with the option the DHO provides.

Tyler Herro's strong All-Star competition 

The NBA released its second All-Star ballot results, and the Herro turnout wasn't disappointing. It didn't really matter where he was with the fan vote because he's not making it through that avenue.

He was never going to receive more votes than Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, or LaMelo Ball. That's fine-- the coaches should still vote him in.

Herro's case is being a best shooter in the league candidate while leading his team to a positive record. Herro's game is well-rounded. He's not just a shooter. His contemporaries are doing adjacent things. 

If six guards make it in the East, we can pencil in Lillard, Mitchell, and Brunson. I'm unsure whether the players and the media (who make up 50% of the vote) will vote for Ball. His team isn't winning, and some consider his style "shot-chucking."

That leaves Herro shooting for the coaches to write him in while competing with Ball, Trae Young, Cade Cunningham, Darius Garland, Tyrese Haliburton, and Tyrese Maxey. 

Each guard brings their own flare to the table. Cunningham, with the playmaking and recharging the Pistons angle, Young is a 20-20 machine leading the league in assists, Garland has been a clutch monster on the best team in the league, and at least one of the Tyreses is turning his year around.

Herro should make it even amongst this strong group. He's been the Heat's best player and as efficient as they come. Every year is its own story, but his efficiency has been the biggest talking point for many years. What will they say now?