Kasparas Jakučionis’s first 18 games were defined by a jarring inability to adapt to NBA speed, leaving him looking thoroughly overwhelmed in a reserve role. He offered one tantalizing flash of his ceiling on 12/20 vs BOS, stepping into the starting lineup to drill five three-pointers and generate a +6.9 impact score. However, even when his counting stats looked respectable, his actual value on the floor routinely cratered. Look no further than 01/16 vs BOS, where he tallied 12 points and eight assists but still posted a -6.0 impact score because porous defense and empty-calorie possessions gave those points right back. A subsequent start on 01/18 vs OKC was an unmitigated disaster. He forced terrible looks to finish 1-for-7 from the field, collapsing to a staggering -15.5 impact score as the offense completely stagnated under his direction. If this stretch made anything clear, it is that Jakučionis is currently a massive liability when his perimeter shot isn't bailing him out.

Kasparas Jakučionis’s midseason stretch was defined by a jarring demotion to the second unit that temporarily unlocked his perimeter ceiling before his consistency completely evaporated. Even while struggling to find his shot as a starter early on, he occasionally found ways to heavily influence winning without filling up the bucket. Take his 01/26 vs PHX performance. Despite managing just 7 points, he crashed the glass for 6 rebounds and kept the ball moving, grinding out a +6.8 Impact score through relentless energy and connective passing. The move to a reserve role shortly after ignited a brief, spectacular scoring inferno. He absolutely torched the nets on 02/08 vs WAS, drilling all six of his three-point attempts to rack up 22 points and 6 assists for a massive +20.8 Impact mark. However, his box score production often masked fundamental flaws. When he returned to the starting lineup on 02/21 vs MEM, he shot an efficient 4-of-6 for 12 points, yet still posted a -5.4 Impact score because his porous perimeter defense and slow rotations bled easy baskets on the other end.