President of basketball operations Daryl Morey reiterated on Monday, when Harden did not show up to the team’s media day in Camden, N.J., that those moves by Eastern Conference rivals did not affect his plan to wait for a Harden deal he deems suitable. Morey’s comments align with his approach to the Ben Simmons saga two seasons ago, which lingered until a deadline-day blockbuster with the Brooklyn Nets for, coincidentally, Harden.
With the Miami Heat set to wrap up its week-long training camp Florida Atlantic University on Saturday, the early reviews are in for rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. “How skilled he is,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said when asked for his first impression of Jaquez. “For a guy that size coming out of college, you would think they got to adjust to the NBA game. But all this work that we put in throughout the summer and the offseason, he’s definitely showing that he can lead a squad to a victory. Even though it’s just pick-up, things like that matter when you’re on the court trying to be successful.” “How he just plays to win,” Heat wing Jimmy Butler said of what’s stood out about Jaquez. “He makes all the right plays. He plays like a vet. I think the experience in the NCAA Tournament, he’s very, very smart. He knows where the ball has to go. He’s confident in his abilities. He sticks to that. And he plays to his strengths.” “Mentality wise, work ethic wise, competitive spirit wise, he fits right into our group,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jaquez. “There’s nothing we really need to adjust from that standpoint. His skill level and him knowing how to play, that’s been a very pleasant surprise and it shouldn’t be. He’s played in a lot of big NCAA Tournament moments. That means something to us. Being on the road, playing in tough environments, find a way to will your team to a win, we’ve seen a lot of that already.” Jaquez has left Heat teammates and coaches impressed this week. As a 22-year-old who played four seasons at UCLA, he entered his first NBA training camp ahead of most rookies around the league. His skill and basketball IQ have already been on display, and his underrated athleticism was also apparent following Friday’s practice when he completed a 360 dunk. “I think everyone is used to the modern-day rookie being 18, 19 years old. I’m 22,” said Jaquez, who was selected by the Heat with the 18th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft in June. “I’m a little on the older side. I still got a lot of game left to improve and show.” Jaquez (6-7, 225 pounds) is listed as a guard, but he said he’s been used “all over the place” this week. “Trying to guard a lot of different positions,” Jaquez said. “I’ve been down in the post, I played a little point guard at the wing. I’ve done a little bit of everything.” While Jaquez might have an advantage over other rookies because of his experience, he also knows he’s in the middle of a big adjustment that will take time and games to reach the other side of. “It’s just learning about the system, the offense, the plays, the defensive concepts,” Jaquez said. “I think that’s more so than anything. Also, shooting and defense are the main things that I got to work on and continue to work on throughout my career.” Whether Jaquez earns an immediate role in the Heat’s rotation could depend on the progress he has s made with his three-point shot. He shot 48.1 percent from the field in his final college season, but shot just 33 of 104 (31.7 percent) from three-point range as a senior and 116 of 354 (32.8 percent) from three-point range during his four-year college career at UCLA. “I think it’s in a great position,” Jaquez said of his three-point shot. “I have a lot of confidence in my shot. Every time I get an open one, I’m going to let it fly.” WILL EXPECTATION BECOME REALITY? Veteran Kyle Lowry said Tuesday that he expects to be the Heat’s starting point guard this season after closing last season in a reserve role. When asked Friday about that statement, Lowry made clear what he meant. “I didn’t say I’m going to, I said I expect to be,” Lowry said to reporters. “So get the words right. I expect to be.” Lowry added that he still has not spoken to Spoelstra about this topic yet. “But as a player, I expect to be the starting point guard,” Lowry continued. Lowry played off the bench last season for the first time since the 2012-13 season with the Toronto Raptors. But he’ll have a chance to again play as a starter this season after the free-agent departure of Gabe Vincent, who took over as the Heat’s starting point guard midway through last season. “Kyle, obviously, is our decorated champion,” Spoelstra said Friday when asked about the Heat’s situation at point guard. “So playing on those words, he’s one of the great quarterbacks and quarterback minds in this league and he’s critical to what we do. [Josh Richardson] has been playing some there, just trying to get him re-acclimated to a little more of the role that he played with us previously. And Dru Smith is quietly or not so quietly had a very good camp. He’s improved considerably.
