MIAMI — Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Sunday was named one of three finalists for NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Jaquez was the lone Heat finalist for any of the NBA’s major awards, with three finalists announced Sunday in each category, the winners to be announced during the course of the postseason.
The other two finalists for Sixth Man of the Year are Denver Nuggets wing Tim Hardaway Jr. and San Antonio Spurs wing Keldon Johnson.
Jaquez is now positioned to potentially become just the second winner of the sixth-man honor in the Heat’s 38 seasons, with Tyler Herro winning the award in 2022.
Jaquez finished this past season as one of just three reserves in NBA history to start fewer than 30 games and average at least 14 points, four rebounds and four assists on at least a .550 true-shooting percentage, joining only 2008 Sixth Man of the Year winner Manu Ginobili, a year the Spurs guard was only one vote short of being a unanimous selection.
Sunday’s announcement also means Heat center Bam Adebayo will remain without the Defensive Player of the Year award he has coveted over his nine seasons, not named among the three finalists for that honor.
The three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year ahead of Adebayo are San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren and Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson, the Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest product.
Adebayo still figures to receive strong consideration for a spot on one of the All-Defensive teams.
As for Jaquez, he led all NBA reserves this past season in points, field goals, 20-point games, points in the paint, fast-break points and points off turnovers, while posting a +169 plus/minus rating in reserve.
In addition, among NBA reserves, he ranked second in assists and fouls drawn, third in free throws made, tied for third in double-doubles, fourth in defensive rebounds and fifth in total rebounds.
From a Heat perspective, his 22 20-point games off the bench this season were the second-most during a single season in Heat franchise history, only to the 32 by Herro in the year he won the award. Jaquez’s 27 career 20-point games as a reserve already rank as the second-most in team history.
Further, Jaquez this season scored the second-most bench points during a single season in Heat history, becoming just the fourth player to score at least 1,000 off the bench, joining Herro, Dwyane Wade and Tyler Johnson.
It was a considerable turnaround from a second season that cast doubt on future role going forward
“Jaime had a great bounce back year,” coach Erik Spoelstra said at last week’s season-ending media session. “It shows his competitive character. He just went to work last summer and then came back and had such an impactful season for us.
As Nikola Jovic laments Heat struggles, Erik Spoelstra says enough with the ‘victim mindset’
ASK IRA: Do Heat need to return focus to regular-season success?
Heat locked into No. 13 lottery seed in wake of final play-in results
ASK IRA: Giannis, Kawhi or Ja the better fit for Heat if there’s a deal to be done?
Ira Winderman: Heat want out of play-in, but be careful what you wish for
“He was one of our most important players in terms of his ability to get into the paint and create things for us. I love the way he improved his passing, as well.”