In early October, the Miami Heat signed fourth-year forward Nikola Jovic to a four-year, $62.4 million extension, the first-and-only extension the organization’s handed out this offseason.
It was also one of 13 rookie-scale extensions signed. The deadline for those deals was on Monday evening, one night ahead of opening night around the NBA. Outside of the extensions rewarded to stars Paolo Banchero, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Jovic’s extension, which won’t kick in until 2026-27, is on the lower end of deals that were given out.
Nikola Jovic’s deal looks better before it even started:
Here were a few of the notable contracts given out ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m. EST deadline:
- Keegan Murray (5 years, $140 million)
- Christian Braun (5 yrs/$125M)
- Jabari Smith Jr. (5 yrs/$122M)
- Shaedon Sharpe (4 yrs/$90M)
- Dyson Daniels (4 yrs/$100M)
- Nikola Jovic (4 yrs/$62.4M)
- AJ Green (4 yrs/$45M)
- Jaylin Williams (3 yrs/$24M)
This isn’t to say that the aforementioned extensions for the other players weren’t earned — essentially all of them were fair deals — but Jovic’s looks better relative to a few others.
Both his guaranteed money and average annual value will be the third-lowest — ahead of Green and Williams. That’s very reasonable.
After he signed it, I wrote that it could be a bargain for the Heat. His new deal will eat up 9.8 percent of the projected cap next season, though it won’t exceed 8.6 percent for the remainder of his contract. That’s all assuming the current cap projections stay the same and don’t spike to the 10 percent max — current cap projections show a ~5 percent year-to-year increase — which would make it look better.
In 46 games last season, the 6-foot-10 wing averaged 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds, shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from 3-point range on moderate volume. The former No. 27 overall pick was playing his best basketball leading up to his hand injury in mid-February, sidelining for most of the rest of the season. All in all, the deal he received is those given to players projected to be the fifth- or sixth-best player, at worst, over the duration of his contract.
He will still have to prove his worth on the court. If he can stay healthy, he’s more than capable of doing just that. We’ve seen the 22-year-old’s flashes as a 3-point shooter, transition initiator, playmaker and team defender. Let’s hope his health prevails and doesn’t interrupt yet another season of growth for Jovic.
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I will wake up tomorrow morning and watch the game without any expectations, just happy bball is back.
There was an old Rolling Stones song, I think on the Beggars Banquet album, called No Expectations. Go Heat!
u cant always get what u want (couple ss)
Jimmy scored 31 last night. Still has some in the tank, when he is well rested.
rested and not playing for riley
You mean with his bag full…..
great player pay the man based on his ability.kiss ass based on his ability.riley blew it with him.rc wont like this but f jimmy hes a warrior now.lets go niko kasper ware
I m glad he is gone.
He started out that way with us. Played hard, ‘happy to be here where I’m wanted’ etc. Our honeymoon period was really great. If he played that way consistently, with that same attitude, he’d still be here and have his extension. Unfortunately, he found going to tennis tournaments and calling in sick the next day more important. Along with clown-like hair styles.
That was an outstanding album!
I know. It had one of my favorite Stones songs, Salt of the Earth, “Raise a drink to the hard working people…”
I am going to watch, but I am quite pessimistic. I hope they will prove me wrong.
Good low cost contract for a player who has yet to prove his worth.
If he can develop into a good rotation player or starter, he may turn out to be a bargain. If not, he should be somewhat easy to trade because of his affordable contract.
If he stays healthy, a 15/5/5 average on 47/38/80 shooting should be a norm for him.
If he can do that off the bench that would be great. As a starter, not so good, especially if his rebounds and assists don’t increase significantly.
We need Powell and Bam average around 20, and Wiggins around 15. there is a point guard around 10, and his backup 7… Ware around 15, and JJJ around 8 …
Al the rest 10… thats 105 altogether without him.
Yes, you are right, 15 from him wont be enough sometimes…towards 20 would be better.
15 5 5 take that and run with it hes soft sun
Thanks Sun, and our writer, for giving your best balanced and honest assessments of the Heat decisions. I tend to lean more towards the Jovic is still a somewhat unknown commodity side of the equation. But, we are lucky here to have a site where the author feels free to say what he thinks and where contributors like Sun are also quite knowledgeable and sometimes give good counterbalancing opinion.
We shall soon see the reality about Nico, can he handle this level of play? He has the opportunity, and he has had time to mature. I think it’s fair to say that the Heat’s fortunes this season, as the roster is currently constructed, will be impacted by Jovic’s ability to prove he belongs. Hoping for the best…
I m sure that he can become the best player form that list, if he can stay healthy.