Jaime Jaquez Jr. hoped to play for the Heat, mostly because Jimmy Butler is his favorite NBA player.
According to The Athletic’s William Guillory, Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez wanted to be picked by the Heat because Jimmy Butler is his favorite player in the NBA. The younger Jaquez expressed his adoration for Butler.
The 23-year-old was picked by the Heat with the 18th pick and has been an integral part of the team’s rotation since his rookie season. He has played 64 games in the 2023-24 regular season and is averaging 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 31.5 percent from three.
However, after a blazing start to his first NBA season, the younger Jaquez has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, scoring-wise. In March, he is averaging 10.1 points per game on 45.2% shooting from the field and 30.0% from long range.
In addition, he has only scored in double digits once in his last seven games. The younger Jaquez is only a few days removed from a terrible scoring performance against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 22, in which he scored three points and completed only one of seven field goal attempts. He barely spent roughly 14 minutes on that one.
While it appears that the younger Jaquez has been in a rut recently, Butler has been strong for the Heat in March. He’s averaging 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this month. Butler has also scored 30 or more points in two games this month, including a 37-point performance in a victory over the Utah Jazz on March 2. The 34-year-old also had three rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block against the Jazz.
The younger Jaquez, Butler, and the Heat still have a lot to play for before the regular season ends. Miami is presently the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 39-32 record, although they are only one game behind the Indiana Pacers for the No. 6 spot. If the Heat earn a top-six seed at the end of the regular season, they will skip the play-in round and move directly to the playoffs.
