Latest news with #Jakucionis
Miami Herald
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Heat introduces first-round draft pick Kasparas Jakucionis: ‘It doesn't feel real yet'
Just a month after celebrating his 19th birthday, Kasparas Jakucionis is an NBA player. Moments after posing for photos with his new Miami Heat jersey while standing between Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Heat president Pat Riley, the skilled Lithuanian guard admitted the last few days have been surreal. 'It's a different feeling,' Jakucionis said during his introductory press conference at Kaseya Center on Friday afternoon. 'It's so hard to describe in words. It doesn't feel real yet. So I'm still kind of trying to figure everything out. But it doesn't feel real.' But it is real, as the Heat selected Jakucionis with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft held Wednesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Jakucionis, who turned 19 on May 29, doesn't have much time to let it sink in with summer league looming. He'll travel to San Francisco early next week to begin practicing with the Heat's summer league team on Wednesday. 'Just playing in summer league, try to get to know the game a little bit and just dive into the process,' Jakucionis said of the experience ahead. Summer league will provide the first glimpse at Jakucionis' intriguing skill set that led to many draft experts projecting him to be a lottery pick before he ended up falling to the Heat at No. 20. Jakucionis brings size to the position at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, and comes with the versatility to play as a lead guard but also as a secondary ball-handler. After moving from Lithuania at 15 to play basketball in Spain for three years in Barcelona, Jakucionis moved to the United States to play college basketball at Illinois. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range as a freshman. Jakucionis now faces another transition, as he moves into the NBA. 'I think every time I moved somewhere else, especially from home when I was just 15, it helped me grow as a person and as a player,' he said. 'I learned new cultures, played different styles of games because Spain is different than Lithuania. Then I moved to Illinois, another adjustment to play basketball in the United States. I think all of these adjustments give me more experience. Obviously, it's a process and I can't wait to start working.' Jakucionis' top skills are his playmaking and passing ability, especially in pick-and-rolls. That's a skill set that should help a Heat roster in need of creativity and playmaking on offense, and it should really help Heat big men Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware as roll men. Jakucionis is also a quality finisher at the rim, shooting 65% around the basket in half-court settings during his lone season at Illinois despite none of those makes being dunks, according to Synergy. He also has a knack for drawing fouls, shooting an efficient 84.5% on 5.1 free-throw attempts per game. But there are some questions surrounding Jakucionis' three-point shooting (shot 31.8 percent on 5.2 three-point attempts per game at Illinois last season), turnover-prone play (averaged 3.7 turnovers per game last season) and defensive ability at the NBA level. 'Definitely it's exciting to improve that,' Jakucionis said of the opportunity to become a better defender in the Heat's system. 'I always give 100 percent and just try to help the team and be the best version of me on that end of the floor, too.' When asked which players he watches when trying to add to his game, Jakucionis pointed to Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and talented Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard. 'I like to be myself,' Jakucionis said. 'But also I like to take something from other players, too. When I was little, I was watching Luka when he was still in Madrid. I moved to Spain after, too. I watch his playmaking. I like how Andrew Nembhard gives 100 percent on both ends of the floor, trying to do the right play and play the game the right way and shoot open shots. I would say those two the most, but I just like to be myself.' Jakucionis will become the fourth active Lithuanian player in the NBA, joining Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, and Sacramento Kings centers Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas. But unlike Heat teammates Nikola Jovic (Serbia) and Pelle Larsson (Sweden), Jakucionis does not plan on taking part in EuroBasket 2025 later this offseason. 'It's amazing,' Jakucionis said of representing Lithuania at the NBA level. 'Lithuania is not a big country. There's only 2.5 million people, but everybody loves basketball and everybody is trying to make the best out of it and everybody supports it.' But along with representing his Lithuanian roots, Jakucionis' time in Spain also left an imprint on him. He speaks fluent Spanish and even answered a question in Spanish during his introductory press conference on Friday. 'I love Spanish,' Jakucionis said. 'When I lived in Spain, I just learned it pretty quick. So I'm excited to be here because there's some Latin culture and a lot of people speak Spanish.' The Heat announced Friday that Jakucionis will wear No. 25, which has also been worn by former Heat players Orlando Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, Jordan Mickey, Wayne Simien, Anthony Carter, Jeff Malone and Milt Wagner. Jakucionis wore No. 32 at Illinois, but couldn't continue wearing that number because the Heat retired it for Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal. So Jakucionis took some time to think about his new number before picking No. 25. 'A couple reasons,' Jakucionis said of his decision to wear No. 25 with the Heat. 'First, I was wearing No. 32. But before I was wearing No. 7 and the national team I was wearing No. 7 all the time. So 32 minus 7 is 25, my sister's favorite number is 25, her birthday is on the 25th of July, also I got drafted in 2025 and on June 25. So there's a lot that goes into it.' Jakucionis still has plenty to figure out as a fresh-faced 19-year-old. The Heat's offense badly needs Jakucionis' on-ball creativity after finishing with a bottom-10 offensive rating in each of the last three seasons, but he'll also need time to develop as one of the youngest players the Heat has ever drafted. But Jakucionis is already well aware of the Heat's famed 'culture' and he feels like he'll fit right in. 'It's a winning culture,' Jakucionis said. 'All the time, trying to do everything possible to win and give all-out effort every day and the toughness. I just love winning. I try to do everything possible for the team to win, try to work hard and be the best version of myself for the team to win.'
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Heat hopes guard Kasparas Jakucionis turns into first-round steal: ‘We see tremendous potential'
The Miami Heat didn't expect Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis to still be available when it picked at No. 20 in the first round of the NBA Draft. And Jakucionis didn't expect to be available for the Heat, either. After all, ESPN's NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony ranked Jakucionis as the 10th-best prospect in the 2025 draft class. The Athletic's NBA Draft expert Sam Vecenie listed Jakucionis as the seventh-best prospect in the class. The Ringer also had Jakucionis as the seventh-best prospect in the class. So when the Heat tried to get Jakucionis to come to Kaseya Center for a predraft workout, he declined because he didn't think he would be an option for the Heat late in the first round. Instead, Heat brass was limited to a predraft meeting with him at the NBA Draft Combine in May in Chicago. 'We tried to get him in [for a predraft workout],' Heat vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager Adam Simon said to reporters shortly after the end of Wednesday's first round. 'But he didn't think he would be there at 20.' The feeling was mutual. 'We didn't think he would be there,' Simon admitted. But Jakucionis was there and the Heat took advantage, selecting the skilled guard with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday night. The Heat is expected to hold Jakucionis' introductory news conference on Friday at Kaseya Center. 'We see tremendous potential with Kas,' Simon said. 'You're talking about a 6-5 [guard] with a plus-three [pointer], good athlete but with a high IQ. So if you combine all those things with a work ethic, there's no reason why you can't mold him into a very good NBA player. I think that's why we were attracted to take him tonight.' Jakucionis, who brings size to the position at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, comes with upside after just recently turning 19 in May. He also comes with the ability to play as a lead guard but also as a secondary ball-handler. After moving from Lithuania at 15 to play basketball in Spain for three years in Barcelona, Jakucionis moved to the United States to play college basketball at Illinois. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range as a freshman. 'What stands out is his strong ball-handling, ability to read and make plays, his toughness, his overall ability to get downhill and finish at the rim,' Simon said. Jakucionis' top skills are his playmaking and passing ability, especially in pick-and-rolls. That's a skill set that should help a Heat roster in need of creativity and playmaking on offense, and it should really help Heat big men Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware as roll men. Jakucionis is also a quality finisher at the rim, shooting 65% around the basket in half-court settings during his lone season at Illinois despite none of those makes being dunks, according to Synergy. He also has a knack for drawing fouls, shooting an efficient 84.5% on 5.1 free-throw attempts per game. 'I try to make everybody better on the court, try to find open players, shoot when I'm open and give all-out effort every day,' Jakucionis said Wednesday night during a call with South Florida reporters shortly after he was drafted. But Jakucionis is far from a finished product, as there are concerns. For one, he averaged 3.7 turnovers per game for an exceptionally high turnover rate of 25.4% while playing in a high-usage role at Illinois last season. 'Certainly the numbers are higher than you want, but he's high usage and he's processing things,' Simon said when asked about Jakucionis' turnover problem. 'The turnovers were high, certainly. But I think they're turnovers that you can work with. I think those are correctable, they're teachable to see the game. But if you just watched all his film, he's making good reads out there, he's making plays.' The next question has to do with Jakucionis' outside shooting, as he shot just 31.8% on 5.2 three-point attempts per game at Illinois last season. But there's reason for optimism with this part of Jakucionis' game, as he shot an impressive 41.4% on threes through January 1 before his three-point efficiency plummeted while battling a left forearm injury over the second half of the season. 'The shot, he's projected based on our analytical numbers to become a really good shooter,' Simon said. 'His stroke is pure. He takes tough shots. I think there are things in his game that he certainly has to work on. But you look at a player who turned 19 last month and what he's accomplished at junior levels, everywhere he's played, he's really been effective and efficient. There are things he has to work on, but the shooting I don't think is going to be any deficiency. I think that's going to get better.' On defense, Jakucionis is not expected to be elite. But the Heat is banking on Jakucionis developing into a good enough defender to hold up in the NBA through a combination of his above average positional size, basketball IQ and toughness. 'The majority of these players lack defensive skill and technique that's needed at the NBA level,' Simon said. 'What he has is a toughness to him, he has an edge, he has an IQ. I think when you combine those skills, I think he'll be able to be a tough astute learner of our defensive systems. I think he'll be able to defend at a high level in our league.' Jakucionis is slotted to make about $3.7 million this upcoming season as the 20th pick and will be under team control for five seasons. Next up for Jakucionis is likely summer league basketball with the Heat in San Francisco and Las Vegas, with the team scheduled to travel to the West Coast next week to begin summer league practices. Jakucionis is still eligible to be included as part of a potential trade this offseason. However, Jakucionis won't be eligible to be traded for 30 days after signing his rookie contract, which can happen starting Tuesday. 'I'm so excited,' said Jakucionis, who is fluent in Spanish after spending a few years in Spain. 'I'm just grateful for this moment to be in this place with this opportunity to get my name called. It's special for me. That was what I was working for all my life since I was little and that was my dream. But now this is just the beginning and everything starts from new.' Jakucionis joins a young Heat core that also includes first-round picks Kel'el Ware (21 years old), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24), Nikola Jovic (22), Tyler Herro (25) and Bam Adebayo (27). With the Heat also making a first-round selection in each of the previous three drafts (Jovic in 2022, Jaquez Jr. in 2023 and Ware in 2024), this marks the first time in two decades that the Heat has come out of four consecutive drafts with a first-round pick. The last time it happened came when Miami took Caron Butler in 2002, Dwyane Wade in 2003, Dorell Wright in 2004 and Wayne Simien in 2005. 'We're trying to layer players — guys that are ready, we're bringing in young players,' Simon said when asked about the importance of acquiring cost-effective young talent in the NBA Draft. 'We've drafted players the last several years. We're trying to keep developing them. The depth is important. ... I think it was important for us to make this pick tonight to find another good player on a rookie-scale [contract]. It's part of the new NBA, trying to continue to add players through the draft probably more than before.' The Heat does not hold a pick in the second round of this year's draft, which will take place on Thursday (8 ET, ESPN). There remains the possibility of the Heat buying or trading for a second-round selection, but the fact that any team that purchases a second-round pick becomes hard-capped at the second apron for the entirety of that upcoming season will likely create some pause for Miami. But based on immediate grades, the Heat may have already come away with the steal of the draft by taking Jakucionis. ESPN labeled the Heat as one of the biggest winners of the first round, noting that 'it wouldn't be surprising to see him eventually emerge as the franchise's future point guard, thanks to the savvy he displays running pick-and-roll and his exceptional feel for the game.' The Ringer gave the Heat an 'A' grade for its selection of Jakucionis at No. 20, writing that 'opposing Eastern Conference fan bases are mad that this happened, if that gives you any idea of how well the Heat did [yet again].' The Heat is hopeful Jakucionis lives up to that hype. 'Kas is going to come in and fit,' Simon said. 'He's as good a gym rat as you'll find. The guy loves being in the gym. He admitted he's not much on other things besides basketball. He just really loves being in the gym. The Illinois coaches talked about never having to find him. He was always there, always working.'
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Seven analysts assess what Heat is getting in Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis
Feedback on the Heat's selection of 6-6 Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who had been widely projected as a late lottery pick and averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and shot 44 percent from the field in his one season at Illinois, but also committed too many turnovers (3.7 per game) and shot just 31.8 percent on threes (54 for 170): ▪ ESPN's Jay Bilas: This guy has a ton of skill. Another guard with positional size that's really good in pick and roll situations. Very skilled. Excellent footwork. Pressure tended to bother him a little bit, especially toward end of the season. Didn't have some of his better games in last 10, 14 games. Such a good passer. Only problem he is hHad 123 turnovers, that was fifth most in Division 1. 'You put him in pick and roll situation. His vision is really impressive. He plays with pace. He can de-celerate. I think he's much better shooter than his numbers indicated. He wound up shooting 33 percent on struggled over the last portion of the season. But hHis coach Brad Underwood feels he's going to be a better NBA player than he was a college player. He's got a really good feel for the game and a really good feel for reading situations. ▪ ESPN lead draft analyst Jonathan Givony: 'I had [him] as the 11th player on my big board. This is a slide for him. The Heat needs a ball handler, playmaker in the worst possible way. He's the best pick and roll playmaker in this draft. 'Think of a cross between Austin Reeves and Andrew Nehmard. Great size for a guard. Can play 1, 2 or 3. Shot maker, brings real toughness, a competitor. This is going to be a a great pick for Miami, who doesn't traditionally draft international players. This is an awesome pick for the Heat. ▪ ESPN analyst and former Warriors general manager Bob Myers: 'Size, handle. Erik Spoelstra demands defense. He is going to have to become better at that. Some people had this guy very high on the draft. The Heat has a great track record for drafting and developing.' ▪ ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo: 'Most [projected] him in the range of 11 to 14. Jakucionis' unselfishness, playmaking and size, enabling him to play on and off the ball, make him a relatively seamless fit in most places with upside long-term considering he recently turned 19.' ▪ The Ringer's Kyle Mann: aJkucionis fits a flattering Euro stereotype for guards in that he has an almost joyous bobbing rhythm in the way he moves with the ball—a command for starting and stopping that really puts defenders in a less joyous place. Jakucionis, despite having credible size for his position, isn't exceptionally long or blazingly fast. He does, however, have a low center of gravity and can be very quick from side to side or in situations when he suddenly bursts to attack after lulling his man into a spot. 'Jakucionis is also a fantastic passer. He's able to consistently survey where his open teammate is or is about to be, where in the defense he needs to sell a fake, what type of fake that should be, and finally, what type of pass should be the solution. I don't penalize a prospect for experimentation (I love it, actually), and that's why I don't really grind my teeth over Jakucionis's ugly turnover percentage (second highest among the 164 players who posted 150 or more pick-and-roll reps). For one, he was battling a nagging forearm injury for nearly half the season... 'Ultimately, Jakucionis's success at the next level will live or die with his credibility as a scorer, and while I don't think he is an 'If it's in the air, jog the other way' type of marksman, I'm optimistic he'll be a consistent threat as a shooter. Through January 1 (so, pre-injury), Jakucionis was hitting 41.4 of his 3s, and the types of attempts varied—a blend of stepbacks in isolation and dribble pull-ups in the pick-and-roll and catch-and-shoot looks. Post-injury, his self-created 3s dried up almost entirely, which I suspect was a result of that injury to his nonshooting forearm. 'Beyond that, the craft in his middle game could definitely stand to progress and evolve, but he's great when he gets to the rim. When he isn't finishing at the basket (71.7 percent there), he relishes contact, which allows him to be a foul-generating machine. I expect his broad-shouldered frame to become a useful hammer in the paint by his mid-20s.' ▪ The Athletic's John Hollinger, a former Grizzlies executive: 'This is a bit of a slide for Jakučionis, who was seen by many as a potential top-10 pick, but I also think it's a more realistic landing spot for a guy who probably projects as a combo guard off the bench more than a long-term starter. 'Miami could use a guy like him, though, because he can handle the ball and shoot stepback 3s; he offers a nice contrast in the backcourt to defensive bulldog Davion Mitchell.' ▪ The Athletic's Sam Vecenie: 'Think of something in this respect like a better passing Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has averaged 14 points per game over eight years in the NBA and has also been sneaky awesome in the playoffs and big international events. 'Jakučionis is also a truly special passer who I hope continues to work on his craft as a ballhandler to get separation from his man consistently without turning the ball over and feeling rushed. There would be some really high-upside outcomes in his profile if that ever happened. My read is to bet on him being more of a great secondary ballhandler who can play with and help your starters while also running second units, but don't discount the potential for more.' As ESPN noted, there were two freshmen who averaged at least 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists: Jakucionis and Cooper Flagg, who went first overall to Dallas.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Heat keeps pick to select Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20 in NBA Draft
In the end, the Miami Heat did not trade away its first round pick in this year's NBA Draft. Instead, the Heat used its first-round selection to add to its young core. The Heat took Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis with the 20th overall pick in Wednesday night's NBA Draft held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. With the Heat making a first-round selection in each of the last three drafts (Nikola Jovic in 2022, Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 2023 and Kel'el Ware in 2024), this marks the first time in two decades that the Heat has come out of four consecutive drafts with a first-round pick. The last time it happened came when it took Caron Butler in 2002, Dwyane Wade in 2003, Dorell Wright in 2004 and Wayne Simien in 2005. Jakucionis (6-foot-5 and 205 pounds), who grew up in Lithuania, just turned 19 in May and comes with upside. He was projected by many before the draft to be a lottery pick, but ended up falling to the Heat at No. 20. Jakucionis averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range as a freshman at Illinois last season. Jakucionis is a skilled player who checks a lot of boxes on offense end, as he's an excellent playmaker, has the potential to be a quality outside shooter and has a knack for drawing fouls as an attacker. One of the biggest questions surrounding Jakucionis is whether his lack of elite athleticism limits his upside at the NBA level. According to The Athletic, Jakucionis had zero half-court dunks at Illinois last season. Among those the Heat bypassed to draft Jakucionis at No. 20 were Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, Saint Joseph big Rasheer Fleming, Spanish wing Hugo Gonzalez, Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis, Creighton big Ryan Kalkbrenner, UConn wing Liam McNeeley, Georgia big Asa Newell, French wing Noah Penda, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Stanford big Maxime Raynaud, Michigan State guard Jase Richardson, Illinois wing Will Riley, Israeli guard Ben Saraf, Arkansas wing Adou Thiero and Michigan big Danny Wolf. According to the NBA's scouting report on Jakucionis, he's 'an adept playmaker capable of scoring or passing from anywhere on the floor. At 6-foot-6 with good footwork, feel for the game and shooting touch, he can play many roles, including that of a primary playmaker. He easily sets up his teammates, threading the needle for easy scoring opportunities. Despite not being an elite athlete, Jakučionis can also create his shot with quality dribbling, hesitation moves and a developing stepback jumper. His understanding of angles and advantages allowed him to average 5.1 free throw attempts per game. On defense, he isn't elite but is solid enough to thrive in a scheme.' The NBA's Scouting Report added Jakucionis 'projects as a combo guard in the NBA, though one who may be more comfortable as a passer than a scorer out of the gate. That gives him a high floor as a potential sixth man early on, if not a starter. In terms of play style, he shares similarities with players like Austin Reaves and Goran Dragic.' Jakucionis is still eligible to be included as part of a potential trade this offseason. However, Jakucionis won't be eligible to be traded for 30 days after signing his rookie contract, which can happen starting on Tuesday. Jakucionis is slotted to make about $3.7 million this upcoming season as the 20th pick and will be under team control for five seasons. Next up for Jakucionis is likely summer league basketball with the Heat in San Francisco and Las Vegas, with the team scheduled to travel to the West Coast next week to begin summer league practices. As for other teams around the Eastern Conference who picked ahead of the Heat, the Philadelphia 76ers took Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe at No. 3, the Charlotte Hornets selected Duke wing Kon Knueppel at No. 4, the Washington Wizards drafted Texas wing Tre Johnson at No. 6, the Brooklyn Nets took BYU guard Egor Demin at No. 8, the Toronto Raptors selected South Carolina big Collin Murray-Boyles at No. 9, the Chicago Bulls drafted French big Noa Essengue at No. 12, and the Brooklyn Nets took French guard Nolan Traore at No. 19. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. entered the night with multiple mock drafts projecting him to go to the Heat at No. 20. But Clayton was off the board before the Heat's selection, as the Utah Jazz acquired him with the 18th pick. The Heat took Jakucionis with the 20th overall pick that it acquired from the Golden State Warriors in the February Jimmy Butler trade. Meanwhile, the Heat's own pick at No. 15 on Wednesday was used by the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to select Georgetown big Thomas Sorber. The Thunder received the Heat's No. 15 pick this year because Miami owed a 2025 lottery-protected first-round selection to Oklahoma City — a pick first sent out by the Heat in the 2019 trade to acquire Butler. The Heat does not hold a pick in the second round of this year's draft, which will take place on Thursday (8 ET, ESPN). There remains the possibility of the Heat buying or trading for a second-round selection, but the fact that any team that purchases a second-round pick becomes hard-capped at the second apron for the entirety of that upcoming season will likely create some pause for Miami. WHERE HEAT'S ROSTER STANDS The Heat's current salary-cap breakdown includes 13 players on standard contracts with partially guaranteed or fully guaranteed salaries for next season: Bam Adebayo ($37.1 million), Tyler Herro ($31 million), Andrew Wiggins ($28.2 million), Terry Rozier ($24.9 million of $26.6 million salary currently guaranteed), Kyle Anderson ($9.2 million), Haywood Highsmith ($5.6 million), Jovic ($4.4 million), Ware ($4.4 million), Kevin Love ($4.2 million), Jaquez ($3.9 million) Jakucionis ($3.7 million), Pelle Larsson ($978,000 of $2 million salary currently guaranteed) and Keshad Johnson ($2 million). If three-point shooting forward Duncan Robinson bypasses the early-termination option on his $19.9 million salary for next season, as expected, he would become the 14th Heat player on that list and put the Heat just one player short of the 15-man regular-season limit for an NBA standard roster. Robinson has until Sunday to exercise the early-termination option on his $19.9 million salary for next season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. If Robinson doesn't exercise the early-termination option in his deal by the Sunday deadline, he would then have $9.9 million of his $19.9 million salary for next season guaranteed and the the final $10 million of his salary would become guaranteed if he's still on the Heat's roster after July 8. Assuming Robinson skips the early-termination option in his contract and the Heat then guarantees his full $19.9 million salary along with the full salaries of Rozier and Larsson, the Heat has about $182.2 million in salaries committed to 14 players for next season. When adding the $2.5 million in unlikely bonuses for Herro that need to be included for apron calculations, that Heat will have about $184.7 million in salaries committed to 14 players for next season. With the projected salary cap for the 2025-26 season set at $154.6 million and the projected luxury tax set at $187.9 million, that means the Heat is just $3.2 million away from entering luxury tax territory for the third straight season and still has one roster spot to fill. But the Heat does have some breathing room from the punitive first apron of $195.9 million and the dreaded second apron of $207.8 million. With no cap space, this leaves the Heat with only minimum contracts, one of the mid-level exceptions (either the $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception or the $5.7 million taxpayer million mid-level exception) and possibly the $5.1 million bi-annual exception to offer outside free agents. The Heat can also make a trade to add outside talent to the roster. But using any portion of the larger $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception or the $5.1 million bi-annual exception would hard cap the Heat at the first apron for all of this upcoming season and erase some of its financial flexibility. Using the smaller $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception would hard cap the Heat at the second apron for all of next season. Considering that the expectation is the Heat will try to get under the luxury tax line this upcoming season, being hard capped at either apron shouldn't be a problem for Miami. After finishing each of the last two seasons as a luxury tax team, the Heat needs to find a way to avoid the luxury tax in at least one of the next two seasons to avoid the the onerous repeater tax that's triggered when a team crosses the luxury tax threshold in four straight seasons or four times during a five-season period. The list of players from the Heat's season-ending roster who will be free agents this summer includes guard Josh Christopher (unrestricted free agent), guard Alec Burks (unrestricted free agent), guard Davion Mitchell (restricted free agent), guard Dru Smith (restricted free agent) and guard Stevens (unrestricted free agent). Robinson could join that list and become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he exercises the early-termination option in his contract before Sunday's deadline. One way to free additional room under the luxury tax threshold is for the Heat to waive Robinson before the July 8 deadline, creating $10 million in savings since only $9.9 million of his $19.9 million salary for next season would then be guaranteed. The Heat could also make a trade to slash some salary. NBA teams were allowed to begin negotiating with their own impending free agents this past Monday after the NBA Finals ended. But free agents can't begin negotiating with outside teams until this upcoming Monday at 6 p.m.
Hamilton Spectator
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Raptors NBA draft: Kasparas Jakucionis seen as a ‘safe' pick if Toronto keeps its No. 9 selection
This is the 10th and final part in a series on prospects who could be drafted at No. 9 by the Raptors on June 25. One of the difficulties of nailing NBA draft picks is the lack of experience each teenage selection has limits the information available. A season, maybe two, at an American college hardly provides a long and detailed baseline, leaving teams to work mainly off their own projections. It's not the case with guard Kasparas Jakucioni s, who brings more experience to the process than anyone else touted as a Top 10 selection. Kasparas Jakucionis boasts an impressive combination of size (6'6"), toughness, pace, feel for the game, playmaking, and shot-making prowess. He's an outstanding pick-and-roll player who plays an intelligent and unselfish style, helping him transition from Europe to college. The just-turned 19-year-old has been in the Lithuanian national program, one of the best in the world. He spent two seasons with the vaunted Barcelona program, both in the junior development system and graduating to the EuroLeague senior team and the prestigious Spanish league. And for a taste of the style of play in North America, he's coming off a good year as the point guard at Illinois where he averaged 15.0 points, 4.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds on 44.0 per cent field goal shooting . It's an impressive resume for a youngster sure to be on Toronto's radar heading into Wednesday's NBA draft. 'I like to go to challenges,' Jakucionis told ESPN during the run-up to the draft. 'That's why I moved to Barcelona when I just turned 15 because I thought that it would help me grow a lot more as a basketball player and as a person.' The time at Barcelona gave him a solid grounding in what expectations will come at the NBA level after working with Spanish league stars who have first-hand knowledge. 'Just the experience of working out with pros … Ricky Rubio, Jabari Parker — a lot of ex-NBA guys who were on my team. Just getting advice from them and being with them every day just makes you better overall. You can ask them questions, so you can improve a lot more.' Jakucionis has said. The six-foot-five guard, a teammate of Kitchener's draft-destined Will Riley at Illinois , has a wealth of experience. Comparatively, that makes him one of the more well-rounded players in the top echelon of draft-eligible players. Scouts see him as combo guard, comfortable running a team or playing off the ball. He's considered a creative player, a top-level passer who is a multiple-threat. That may also been his downfall, though. The 200-pounder is good but not great at anything and whether he'll grow into a top-level NBA starter is debatable. He fought an arm injury for most of his one season at Illinois and wasn't a great shooter — just 32 per cent from three-point range — and he has problems with turnovers, although they were chalked up to his over-creative style that NBA teams will temper. Mock drafts , for what they're worth, have Jakucionis right in the thick of consideration for Toronto and the ninth pick. Whether the Raptors need another backcourt youngster who figures to be a backup to start his career is open to debate but with so much chatter churning about possible deals, taking Jakuciounis can't be totally discounted. If some other transaction is going to rob Toronto some of its youth and depth, or if the No. 9 selection is in play in trade talks with teams that need backcourt players, Jakucionis might make sense. What he is, according to reports about him, is a somewhat 'safe' pick, not overly athletic, not particularly blazingly quick or impressively strong. But he's good, no question. And No. 9 picks aren't generally considered automatic starters or contributors and if the Raptors want to continue stockpile talented assets and seeing which one pops, there's a case made for him. There is also a chance the team that takes Jakucionis will get an even more experienced rookie. He's going to get consideration to play for Lithuania at the late-summer EuroBasket because he's so highly-touted by the program. 'I firmly believe Kasparas is the most talented perimeter player and the second most talented guy overall we've had only behind Matas Buzelis,' said Augustas Suliauskas, an analyst with the website BasketNews. 'I even think Jakucionis is the best guard prospect we've had since both Sarunas — Marciulionis and Jasikevicius. Two big names, but I expect huge things from Kasparas.' The NBA Finals winding up, the draft coming next week, free agency in the near future, the start of the FIBA senior season and the rest of the sports world ticking along. Lots of fodder for Ye Olde Mailbag so send along any questions to askdoug@ . Our series on potential picks for the Raptors in the June draft. The ship has sailed Cooper Flagg Dylan Harper VJ Edgecombe Could they fall? Khaman Maluach Tre Johnson Kon Knueppel In the range Derik Queen Collin Murray-Boyles Noa Essengue Canadian content Will Riley
