Preseason Game Thread - Miami Heat vs Charlotte Hornets - 10/10/23 @ 7:30pm EST

[SerialChiller]

Would Gerald Wallace be a good comparison for JJJ? the kid no doubt is a stud. Heat scouting team has done it again.

He kinda would be at least hair and facial hair wise lol

[dshearn]

Would Gerald Wallace be a good comparison for JJJ? the kid no doubt is a stud. Heat scouting team has done it again.

Dude straight up looks like jimmy Butler to me....

is he doing something that makes a Jimmy comparison wrong? or incomplete?

[dshearn]

Positives :
- JJJ , can't believe we got another one. He is ready. He can contribute right now. I'm hyped
- Highsmith , if he can hit that 3pt shot and he was 2 for 2 today he should be the starting PF no question
- Thomas Bryant , i loved what i saw, he is really giving another dimension to the backup big. He can score , he has the size , he can rebound. I don't see Robinson taking his spot
- Swider , HEAT GOT ANOTHER ONE! Thank you Lakers. 6'9 and to shoot like that. Get him signed today. 1+1 or 2+1. GET IT DONE!
- Herro, even tho he didnt shoot great i think some of the shots he usually makes and he also got some fouls not called. I think he's gonna have a great season

Negatives :
- Dru Smith, please no more. He just doesn't have it.
- Duncan, but i'm not worried, it was just an off day
- Love and Lowry can't have both starting. Just can't.

Sooner or later we are going to get Swider and Duncan in an action with each other.....going to be hilarious to see what defender goes over


On that JJJ front...to me, in my limited viewpoint....JJJ looks like Miami has been developing him for a few seasons. Dude looks grounded and stable...like he has been in the NBA for some time. I wonder how clutch he is going to be.

[marson]

Would Gerald Wallace be a good comparison for JJJ? the kid no doubt is a stud. Heat scouting team has done it again.

Ironically his game reminds me of a current Butler (Not the athletic freak young Butler)

His savviness and low post-action shown today are not something you can see right ahead from a rookie.

[iamoti]

Positives :
- JJJ , can't believe we got another one. He is ready. He can contribute right now. I'm hyped
- Highsmith , if he can hit that 3pt shot and he was 2 for 2 today he should be the starting PF no question
- Thomas Bryant , i loved what i saw, he is really giving another dimension to the backup big. He can score , he has the size , he can rebound. I don't see Robinson taking his spot
- Swider , HEAT GOT ANOTHER ONE! Thank you Lakers. 6'9 and to shoot like that. Get him signed today. 1+1 or 2+1. GET IT DONE!
- Herro, even tho he didnt shoot great i think some of the shots he usually makes and he also got some fouls not called. I think he's gonna have a great season

Negatives :
- Dru Smith, please no more. He just doesn't have it.
- Duncan, but i'm not worried, it was just an off day
- Love and Lowry can't have both starting. Just can't.

Sooner or later we are going to get Swider and Duncan in an action with each other.....going to be hilarious to see what defender goes over


On that JJJ front...to me, in my limited viewpoint....JJJ looks like Miami has been developing him for a few seasons. Dude looks grounded and stable...like he has been in the NBA for some time. I wonder how clutch he is going to be.

The problem with most rookies is that they don't really know what to do in certain situations. I was looking at Miller nr.2 pick in the draft and he was lost most of the time. You don't see that with JJJ. Add to that his suprising athelticism. Definately a good pick. I think too many teams draft based only on upside. If he gets a solid 3pt shot beware.

[contract]

Would Gerald Wallace be a good comparison for JJJ? the kid no doubt is a stud. Heat scouting team has done it again.

Dude straight up looks like jimmy Butler to me....

is he doing something that makes a Jimmy comparison wrong? or incomplete?

Jimmy's a much better athlete for one.

[dean456]

After rewatching the game, I thought Herro played great. I know some will look at the 9/22 and think this is just more of the same but really watching how he got his shots I think he will be better than the outcome of this game going forward.

Through the 1st quarter I he almost played perfectly, didn't over dribble took all the shots he should have taken other then the quick trigger heat check 3 in the corner. He was 4/6 in that quarter for 10pts.

I think as the season goes on we will start to notice that he's cut a lot of the fat out of his offensive game and is understanding how to get to his spots and take good quality shots. Also had a 35% usage rate in this game and had no turnovers which is also great if he can continue that.

Hard to over judge the rest of the game as it was a mixed bag of different lineups of guys who haven't played much together with messy positioning and spacing. Even then, a good chunk of his shots were good looks that just rimed out. I think if he made some of the easy misses he usually makes he could have easily finished this game 12/22 (54%) and finished with 30+ points.

[twix2500]

I don't care about the veterans in preseason including Herro as a vet. I just want them healthy for the start of the season. I only care about how the rookie, Cain, Swindle, Jovic and Hampton looks.



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[dean456]

If Jaquez can maintain this kind of poise controlling the ball I think the Heat should explore giving him the reigns with the bench unit and play him every minute Jimmy isn't playing and if he can mix well with Jimmy close the game with him. I also think our rotation would be better if we start Martin and don't play Love at this point but Spo probably unlikely to do that.

Starters - Herro/JRich/Butler/Martin/Bam

Bench - Lowry/Jaquez/Highsmith/Jovic/Bryant

I think that is our two best lineups if you are doing 5 on/5 off.

But I think it will ultimately be,

Herro/Lowry
JRich/Jaquez
Butler/Martin
Love/Jovic
Bam/Bryant

but for all non Jimmy mins I would mix up some bench lineups and try stuff like
Lowry/Jaquez/Martin/Jovic/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Martin/Swider/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Robinson/Martin/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Highsmith/Swider/Bam

Closing lineup I think will end up being
Herro/Jaquez/Butler/Martin/Bam

[fishfuego.]

After rewatching the game, I thought Herro played great. I know some will look at the 9/22 and think this is just more of the same but really watching how he got his shots I think he will be better than the outcome of this game going forward.

Through the 1st quarter I he almost played perfectly, didn't over dribble took all the shots he should have taken other then the quick trigger heat check 3 in the corner. He was 4/6 in that quarter for 10pts.

I think as the season goes on we will start to notice that he's cut a lot of the fat out of his offensive game and is understanding how to get to his spots and take good quality shots. Also had a 35% usage rate in this game and had no turnovers which is also great if he can continue that.

Hard to over judge the rest of the game as it was a mixed bag of different lineups of guys who haven't played much together with messy positioning and spacing. Even then, a good chunk of his shots were good looks that just rimed out. I think if he made some of the easy misses he usually makes he could have easily finished this game 12/22 (54%) and finished with 30+ points.

Excellent observation.
He kept responding to the Hornets scores in a way that if he didn’t it could have put the Heat in a hole.
I really can’t speak for others and what they saw, but in my observation, Herro looked sharp.

[Pokuokic]

Jaquez looks like Doug Christie (offensively). not Gerlad Wallace (low IQ/insane athlete), holy crap he impressed me he's PG skills in a SG body but SF physicality. Not sure he will ever be the defender Doug was due to Doug having way more quickness. I hope the Heat package Bulk when they trade away Lowry not sending him to Portland just going to waste another season of his career.

Even a Kuminga for Jovic swap probably helps both teams.

[fishfuego.]

If Jaquez can maintain this kind of poise controlling the ball I think the Heat should explore giving him the reigns with the bench unit and play him every minute Jimmy isn't playing and if he can mix well with Jimmy close the game with him. I also think our rotation would be better if we start Martin and don't play Love at this point but Spo probably unlikely to do that.

Starters - Herro/JRich/Butler/Martin/Bam

Bench - Lowry/Jaquez/Highsmith/Jovic/Bryant

I think that is our two best lineups if you are doing 5 on/5 off.

But I think it will ultimately be,

Herro/Lowry
JRich/Jaquez
Butler/Martin
Love/Jovic
Bam/Bryant

but for all non Jimmy mins I would mix up some bench lineups and try stuff like
Lowry/Jaquez/Martin/Jovic/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Martin/Swider/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Robinson/Martin/Bam
Lowry/Jaquez/Highsmith/Swider/Bam

Closing lineup I think will end up being
Herro/Jaquez/Butler/Martin/Bam

I also hope Swider can become ‘that’ shooter similar to Strus or Duncan that cracks sniping minutes.
He looked really smooth with his shooting, but as Cubano said, he is not a midget (6’9”) and I saw him rebounding in traffic where his height played the part in that rebound.

Oh, and I like your closing lineup.

[insfo]

For those worrying about Jovic not getting minutes, and thinking that it’s because he’s buried on the depth chart once again….

Read on Twitter

[carnageta]

Would Gerald Wallace be a good comparison for JJJ? the kid no doubt is a stud. Heat scouting team has done it again.

Great comparison.

Prime Gerald Wallace was a 18-20ppg scorer and a great defender, and that was in the mid-late 2000s. JJJ has a similar build.

[carnageta]

Based off of what I've seen (which isn't enough of a sample size at all) it appears JJJ is a cross between Jimmy Butler, Gordon Hayward, and Gerald Wallace.

Could be a cornerstone piece (like Bam) for years and years to come.

[IceColdCubano]

Heres my take from 1 pre-season game:

Young guys -
Jovic - Not much to say as he didn't play much, however he was mostly looking to pass, I think Spo is pushing him as more of a point forward role, but not directly managing from a point of attack per say more of cog being able to pass, handle a bit, get out in transition, and hit open three pointers, rebound, etc.
JJJ - On offense he didn't surprise me, he responded and played exactly how he looked in college, poised and collected, super clutch, good ball handling, great foot work, and high IQ using screens and in the post. Did great work of breaking down double teams, and even dealing with help defense, something that takes years to understand. What impressed me the most was his defensive instincts, way better than what I thought he was. He didn't bite on pump fakes, or fake outs, or even get moved on crossovers, and stay on the players hips all the way to the cusp, elevated straight up with hands straight in the air, the total of opposite of a Duncan Robinson for sure. Also his 6'-7" frame is rather strong for his age, looks to be able to bang down low with guys his size or slightly bigger. Gotta say to me he is the perfect guy to either lead the bench mob similar to a Jimmy butler or to be our starting PF. His defense, poise and ball handling will upgrade our offensive struggles and let Herro, Jimmy, Rich play off ball and make quicker decisions.

Undrafted Players -
Highsmith - seems to be that train that could, just keeps polishing himself every year, making subtle improvements. Looks to have improved his shooting mechanics, if he can keep hitting that open three, he is already a great perimeter defender. I Just wish we would keep him playing to his strengths which is guarding SG/SF, I really hate seeing 6'-5" guys continue to box out downlow playing the PF role allowing second chance points. Him and Caleb should be our back wings for sure that can crossmatch with starters here and there.
Swider - He looked a lil lost on defense, had some possessions were he caused major breakdowns, thats to be expected from a player who doesn't really understand our system, he bit on some really bad pump fakes, needs to keep that under control, on offense he was great. He is deadly, and really hard to guard, he is also slightly too heavy for his body and for the motion shooter prototype we need. At 6'-9" and with his body type, big thighs he will need to lean out a bit, so he can get more speed. Were not asking him to fight for positioning down low, he will be running all game long around screens and off dribble hand offs, so he needs to lean out. However range and size together is deadly, and we need some of it, so he is a keeper in my eyes.
Orlando Robinson - Didn't get much playing time, but did ok and looks much improved on his outside shot, his 3pt shot looks smoother than say Thomas Bryant 3pt. I think we have some really good depth here at the center position this year, which is a real rare thing for this team to be honest. Biggest thing he needs to work on is after an offensive rebound he is too jiterry and has some awful putbacks/out of control almost, needs to make better reads and or pass it out back to the perimeter for better shot.

Vets -
Kyle - Absolute garbage, slimmer yet somehow as slow or slower than usual, foul magnet on dribble drives since he gives up so much size. Please send him off to the nether realm soon, for like a bag of potato chips and 2 second rounders.
Love - Looks slimmer/leaner with a full offseason, didn't pop much last night although he didn't look good, he wasn't necessarily bad. Just bland I think this game was more about the young guys and guys playing for a spots and didn't need Love trying to get a double double here to show his worth.
Like others have said, there is no way we go into the season and play both Kyle and Love together in the starting lineup its just bad basketball and putting too much stress on both Bam/Jimmy to cover the amount of speed those guys are giving up.

New acquisitions -
Bryant - Great pickup absolute a much better player than either of deadmons and zellers corpse. He is much better at the things we need, positional rebounding, second chance points, shot blocking, speed at getting to good positioning when the ball goes in the air, I could see almost averaging double digit rebounding off the bench or close to it. He also has a good middi game, not sold on his 3pt just yet, looks clunky and flat.
Josh - looks a lot better handling the ball than I remember, still a tenacious defender, and ball hawk, and poking at passing lanes. Great matchup next to Herro, Expecting the starting guards to be him and Herro to start the season, have a feeling thats were this is headed. Just needs to hit the open three consistently and were good. Looked great on the open court after a turnover on a fastbreak something we surely lacked.

Key players -
Bam - played his game, didn't really force it, had a bunch of great middies that looked really good, ran the floor great, and played as aggressive as needed for a preseason game, he didn't really need to show off. Save that for the regular season when it matters.
Herro - First quarter I thought he did well, looked to make quicker decisions, and his reaction to doubles looked crisp. However after that it went down hill, forced a lot of unnecessary shots early in the shot clock, did let his team settle into spots for offensive rebounding and didn't commit to making a quick decision after coming off a screen. I saw last years Herro flashes from the second quarter and on. Could be the jitters of wanting to show us up on his improvement, hopefully he calms it down and lets the game come to him, because 22 points on 22 shots is absolutely abysmal. If your gonna take that many shots and your not scoring over 30 points we have a serious problem in our efficiency.
Caleb & Jimmy - DNP

Wall of shame -
Dru Smith - atrocious, please move on, I get with pumped time and money into him but he isn't it, not even as a backup and god knows definately not as a combo guard playing next to Kyle in some of those small guard lineups.
RJ Hampton - bad pacing, all over the place, out of control dribbling, quickness but doesn't make quick decisions after initiating his move, jump passing and turnover prone. Still too early to call it, with him, however send him to Sioux falls or give him a two way and see if can improve.
Theres just nothing here to see from a PG perspective with the young guys, best bet is to use Josh, Herro, Jovic, JJJ, Jimmy, Bam, Lowry to do all your ball handling as a collective.

[twix2500]

Jovic didn't get much of an opportunity because they were running plays for Jaquez and then it was time to give Swindler some mins. Jovic has been in the Heat system for a year. Players like Jaquez and Swindler need mins more than Jovic.

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[IceColdCubano]

Jovic didn't get much of an opportunity because they were running plays for Jaquez and then it was time to give Swindler some mins. Jovic has been in the Heat system for a year. Players like Jaquez and Swindler need mins more than Jovic.

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Agreed, I think Spo is gonna have a hard time nailing down a 9-10 man rotation, were literally 12-13 deep here with very versatile guys. Our weakness is absolutely at the PG position, I think we can get away with Josh and Herro to start, but even Kyle Lowry from a back up perspective theres just nothing there anymore its a wasted guy, I think you save him for the playoffs, and play him limited minutes off the bench. We need a vet back up PG for sure, we know Kyle will take 20 games for personal reasons here and there in the season, without accounting for the injury games.

[carnageta]

Heres my take from 1 pre-season game:

Kyle - Absolute garbage, slimmer yet somehow as slow or slower

[VaDe255]

Jovic didn't get much of an opportunity because they were running plays for Jaquez and then it was time to give Swindler some mins. Jovic has been in the Heat system for a year. Players like Jaquez and Swindler need mins more than Jovic.

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Agreed, I think Spo is gonna have a hard time nailing down a 9-10 man rotation, were literally 12-13 deep here with very versatile guys. Our weakness is absolutely at the PG position, I think we can get away with Josh and Herro to start, but even Kyle Lowry from a back up perspective theres just nothing there anymore its a wasted guy, I think you save him for the playoffs, and play him limited minutes off the bench. We need a vet back up PG for sure, we know Kyle will take 20 games for personal reasons here and there in the season, without accounting for the injury games.

Kyle is very very valuable... at the trade deadline!