According to reports, Jaime Jaquez Jr. wanted to join the Heat in part because Jimmy Butler was his favorite NBA player………

Jimmy Butler is Jaime Jaquez’s favorite player in the NBA, which is one of the reasons he wanted to be picked by the Miami Heat, according to William Guillory of The Athletic.

In fact, the 23-year-old was selected by the Heat with the 18th overall choice, and in his debut campaign, he has been a reliable player in the lineup. Currently averaging 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 31.5 percent from beyond the arc and 48.6 percent from the field in the 2023–24 regular season, he has participated in 64 games.

However, despite having a scorching start to his rookie NBA season, the younger Jaquez’s scoring output has somewhat decreased in recent weeks. He is scoring 10.1 points a game on average in March, making 45.2 percent of his field goals and 30.0 percent of his long-range shots.

Furthermore, he has only scored more than ten goals in one of his previous seven outings. Just a few days have passed since the younger Jaquez’s dismal shooting effort on March 22 against the New Orleans Pelicans, in which he managed just three points and made just one of his seven field goals. He played for a just fourteen minutes in that one.

Butler has been excellent for the Heat in March, despite the younger Jaquez appearing to be in a rut lately. This month, he has averaged 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

Additionally, Butler has scored 30 points or more in two games this month, including a 37-point performance on March 2 in a victory over the Utah Jazz. Against the Jazz, the 34-year-old also added three rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block.

Until the completion of the regular season, Butler, the Heat, and the younger Jaquez have a lot on the line.

At 39-32, Miami is presently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Indiana Pacers for the sixth spot. The Heat will bypass the play-in round and go directly to the playoffs if they finish the regular season as one of the top six seeds.