Fresh off his work with USA Basketball’s Select Team in scrimmages against the Team USA in advance of the Olympics, Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been added to the Miami Heat’s roster for the Las Vegas Summer League.
Jaquez, who drew praise for his work in helping prepare the Olympic roster for the Paris Games, extended his stay in Las Vegas for what are expected to be a pair of appearances with the Heat summer roster, starting Saturday against the Boston Celtics’ summer roster.
Jaquez had an impressive NBA debut in summer league last year after being selected No. 18 out of UCLA in the 2023 draft. He went on to be named first-team All-Rookie, emerging as a key Heat rotation component.
Several members of the Heat’s season-ending roster are expected to meet up with the Heat’s summer roster in Las Vegas.
Jaquez will join a Heat summer roster coming off Wednesday night’s 80-76 victory over a similar roster of rookies, young players and free agents from the Los Angeles Lakers.
“We’re extremely excited to get him on the team,” said Heat assistant Dan Bisaccio, who is coaching the Heat summer roster. “We’re going to look to him to kind of be a leader out there.
“With summer league, especially with our guys that are playing for the second year, we’re looking to see if they can improve on a few things. We have certain goals we’re looking for Jaime to do, and we’re excited for him to take the challenge.”
With Wednesday night’s game concluding the Heat’s three-game schedule at the California Classic, several of the leading players on the Heat summer roster were given the night off ahead of Saturday’s open of play in the larger Las Vegas league, which features rosters from all 30 NBA teams.
That had draft picks Kel’el Ware and Pelle Larsson idle after starting the previous two games. Also held out was returning forward Cole Swider, who shot 4 of 6 and 5 of 10 on 3-pointers in the Heat’s first two games in San Francisco.
“In summer league we’re always looking to try to give different people opportunities.” Bisaccio said. “We want to help evaluate other players, as well.”
Starting Wednesday night for the Heat were returning guard Alondes Williams, Heat G League prospect Josh Christopher, undrafted Texas Tech center Warren Washington, and current two-way contract holders Zyon Pullin, the undrafted guard out of Florida, and Keshad Johnson, the undrafted forward out of Arizona.
The Lakers, by contrast, went with several primary players from their summer roster, including second-round pick Bronny James, son of Lakers and former Heat forward LeBron James, first-round pick Dalton Knecht and former Florida center Colin Castleton.
Knecht, the guard out of Tennessee, was among those the Heat bypassed to select Ware out of Indiana at No. 15. The Heat also bypassed James, who went No. 55, when they selected Larsson out of Arizona at No. 44.
Johnson made the most of his featured role, closing with 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
“I’m a Heat culture guy,” Johnson said afterward.
Said Bisaccio, “KJ from the beginning has been a consummate professional.”
Williams added 21 points and nine rebounds for the Heat.
James again showed solid defensive chops for the Lakers, but was limited to three points on 1-of-3 shooting. Knecht had 20 points and nine rebounds, Castleton 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Among those who also saw action Wednesday night for the Heat was James Caron Butler Jr., son of former Heat forward and current Heat assistant coach Caron Butler.
Unlike regulation NBA games, summer-league games are played with 10-minute quarters instead of 12-minute periods. Wednesday night’s game was played in the absence of spectators at Chase Center, which has become typical for the final games of the California Classic.
The score was tied 21-21 at the end of Wednesday night’s first period, with the Lakers up 40-36 at halftime and the Heat up 59-58 going into the fourth quarter.
Heat summer-league schedule
(All times Eastern)
NBA Summer League
(Las Vegas, UNLV)
Saturday, 6:30 p.m. vs. Celtics NBA TV
Monday, 6 p.m. vs. Thunder, ESPNU
July 17, 3 p.m. vs. Mavericks, ESPN2
July 19, 9 p.m. vs. Raptors, ESPN+
(Plus at least one additional game, based on results from above four.)
