In order for Kasparas Jakucionis to become the steal so many NBA draft pundits made him out to be, he'll need to have much better fortune on the health front. It's not even the end of preseason yet, and Miami's prized pick has already encountered two injury issues: first, a sprained wrist, and now hip soreness.
While neither ailment is considered serious, the 19-year-old is still missing out on developmental reps that his struggles at summer league suggested he really needs. Moreover, he might be missing out on an opportunity to carve out his spot in the regular-season rotation, which would be, objectively speaking, a huge bummer, since his playmaking prowess could help this offense where it most needs a lift.