Kasparas Jakucionis #25 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2025 NBA California Classic on July 5, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Noah Graham NBAE via Getty Images
The Miami Heat closed its three-game summer league stay at the California Classic with a 93-79 win over the Golden State Warriors’ summer squad on Tuesday at Chase Center in San Francisco. Here are some observations from the Heat’s victory over the Warriors:
▪ The Heat went with a starting lineup of guards Kasparas Jakucionis and Kira Lewis, forwards Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson, and center Vlad Goldin for Tuesday’s summer league game.
The Heat then used forward Myron Gardner, center Oumar Ballo, guard Marcus Williams, forward Steve Settle III, guard Javonte Cooke, forward JC Butler and center Dain Dainja off the bench against the Warriors. Gardner left the game early with a hand injury and did not return.
▪ Heat center Kel’el Ware got the day off Tuesday after playing in the first two summer league games at the California Classic.
Ware, who closed his rookie year last season as the Heat’s starting center on his way to being selected for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, averaged 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 27.5 minutes per appearance while shooting 9 of 24 (37.5 percent) from the field and 1 of 8 (12.5 percent) from three-point range over his first two summer league games this year.
The Heat’s coaching staff wants to see Ware dominate in his second summer league after establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top rookies last season. With just three rebounds in his second game of this year’s summer league on Sunday, more will be expected from Ware in the coming weeks in Las Vegas Summer League.
▪ While Ware got the day off on Tuesday, three other players signed by the Heat to standard contract for next season did play: Jakucionis, Larsson and Johnson.
Jakucionis finished with five points on 0-of-5 shooting from the field, 0-of-4 shooting on threes and 5-of-6 shooting from the foul line, four rebounds, three assists and four turnovers in 22 minutes against the Warriors.
Larsson totaled 15 points 5-of-10 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 shooting on threes and 4-of-5 shooting from the foul line, five rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes. The Heat outscored the Warriors by 29 points with Larsson on the court.
Johnson recorded 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, 2-of-5 shooting on threes and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line, four rebounds, two assists, one block and five turnovers in 28 minutes.
▪ It has only been three games, but it has been a nightmarish start to summer league for Jakucionis after he was taken by the Heat with the 20th overall pick in the first round of last month’s draft.
Jakucionis totaled just 12 points on 1-of-15 (6.7 percent) from the field and 0-of-11 shooting from three-point range and 10-of-12 shooting from the foul line through his first three summer league games at the California Classic
Jakucionis has also now recorded a total of 12 turnovers to six assists over his first three summer league games.
It’s important to remember Jakucionis just turned 19 on May 29 and this is just a three-game sample size. But the hope is that Jakucionis can produce better results in Las Vegas Summer League.
▪ Through the Heat’s first summer league games this year, Larsson has been among the most impressive for Miami.
Larsson, who played in 55 games (eight starts) for the Heat as a rookie last season after being selected by Miami in the second round of last year’s draft, has averaged 16.5 points, four rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) shooting from the field, 1-of-7 (14.3 percent) shooting from behind the arc and 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) shooting from the foul line in his first two summer league games this year. He did not play in the Heat’s second summer league game, getting that contest off.
Larsson has relentlessly attacked the paint, with seven of his nine made baskets coming in the paint and drawing 16 free throws in his first two summer league games.
▪ Goldin, who is the only player who the Heat currently has signed to a two-way contract, finished Tuesday’s win with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 shooting from the foul line, five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 20 minutes.
The Heat signed Goldin shortly after he went undrafted last month. The 7-foot-1 Goldin averaged 16.6 points, seven rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 11 of 33 (33.3 percent) on threes as a fifth-year senior at Michigan last season.
Goldin spent his first college season at Texas Tech before spending time in South Florida at Florida Atlantic for the next three seasons. He was the starting center on the FAU team that made an improbable run to the Final Four in 2023 before losing to San Diego State in the national semifinals.
Two-way contracts, which pay half the NBA rookie minimum and do not count toward the salary cap or luxury tax, allow for players to be on their NBA team’s active list for as many as 50 regular-season games with other game action having to come in the G League. Two-way deals can be swapped out at any time and do not come with playoff eligibility.
▪ Lewis, a high-profile summer league name who was the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was among the Heat’s standouts on Tuesday. he closed the victory with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting on threes, one rebound, four assists, one steal and five turnovers in 29 minutes.
The 24-year-old Lewis did not play in the NBA last season, instead spending it with the Washington Wizards’ G League affiliate.
▪ After posting a 2-1 record during its three-game stay at the California Classic in San Francisco, the Heat now moves on to Las Vegas Summer League. All 30 NBA teams will play at least five games at Las Vegas Summer League that will be held from Thursday through July 20.
Here’s the Heat’s schedule for Las Vegas Summer League this year (all times Eastern): vs. Atlanta Hawks on Friday at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2, vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV, vs. Boston Celtics on Monday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU, vs. Detroit Pistons on July 17 at 4 p.m. on NBA TV, and the fifth game will either be played on either July 18, 19 or 20 with the opponent and game time determined later.
The Heat won the Las Vegas Summer League championship last year.