Sixth Man of the Quarter: Jaime Jaquez Jr. We just covered how fast, random, and unselfish the Heat play. No individual is a more indicative beneficiary of their new style than the Jaime Highway. When he enters a game, Miami’s tempo leaps from “pretty fast” to “the reason South Florida needs to film a new PSA about seatbelt safety.” After a season-long sophomore slump that saw his minutes get dramatically cut by Spoelstra, Jaquez is now averaging 16.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 30 minutes per game.

The man lives around the basket. He’s made the sixth-most layups in the league, and the only non-center who’s scored more points in the paint is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Going full speed, even in the half court, yields plenty of advantages. When the game (sort of) slows down, Jaquez unleashes exquisite footwork, handle, and touch, momentarily turning whoever’s on him into a personal butler:

I’m not sure whether there’s anyone in the league who does a better job at keeping defenders on their toes. I am sure there’s no one better doing it off the bench. It’s relentless commotion at full speed. The Heat rarely run set plays, but winding Jaquez up to race 70 feet in a straight line until someone stops him, then watching him solve the obstacle in a second or two, is plenty effective. So far, it’s also nearly unstoppable.

Honorable mentions: Isaiah Stewart, Jerami Grant, Collin Gillespie

Source: https://www.theringer.com/2025/12/01/nba/nba-awards-2025-26-nikola-jokic-luka-doncic-shai-gilgeous-alexander-mvp