(Mandatory credit: Getty Images)
When the Miami Heat front office committed to an extension for Nikola Jovic last year, it was a questionable decision from the start.
The first year of that extension will kick in for this upcoming season. Jovic is set to earn $14-16 million annually for each of the next four years. Considering that the 23-year-old forward is coming off a really shaky 2025-26 campaign, that money figure is not ideal.
Miami essentially paid Jovic based off potential alone. Sure, he has shown signs of being a real impact player in stretches over the years. However, not only has he struggled with availability, he’s struggled with on-court consistency. Jovic can have a standout 25-point game one night, just to follow up with a 10-game stretch filled with poor shooting and decision making.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo now in the fold, the Heat can’t afford to be giving below average role players nearly $15 million annually. And it looks like Miami understands that, as they will now be shopping around in hopes of getting off Jovic’s contract:
“To me if you’re asking the next name in play, I think it’d be Nikola Jovic at his $14-16M salary. You clear that out, you could bring Powell back, bring Wiggins back, you’d have the mid-level… You can round this out fine. The Heat are not done.”
(via Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman)
“It has also been suggested that Miami could look now to move Nikola Jović to try to acquire some shooting to help space the floor for Antetokounmpo and his new frontcourt sidekick Bam Adebayo.”
(via Jake Fischer of the Stein Line)
Miami has unfortunately had to bite the bullet with dealing away bad contracts over the years by even having to attach an asset or two (second-round picks) to do so. Hopefully that won’t be the case with shopping Jovic, but it still might be something the Heat will be willing to do once again.
Getting that near $15 million to utilize to round out an Antetokounmpo-led roster is important. It could help the Heat retain both Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins in the coming weeks. It could keep one of them around and then still bring in an outside talent upgrade on the open market.
In summary, trading Jovic will make Miami have more flexibility for options.
That type of flexibility will be needed to put the right pieces around Giannis and Bam Adebayo.
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Jović has committed to playing for the Serbian National Team during this summer’s FIBA World Cup qualifying windows, joining the preliminary roster alongside NBA superstar Nikola Jokić. This international stint offers a critical opportunity for him to rebuild his momentum following a difficult and injury-shortened 2025-26 season with the Heat. Ideally, Jovic will do well enough to improve his value to keep or trade him before the beginning of the season. As a longshot, maybe Jokic will encourage the Nuggets to trade for him so he can function as his mentor.
Rather than writing Jovic off altogether, why not do everything humanly possible to restore his productivity and trade value? As a last resort, Miami should pay to have him mentored by the type of player they want him to be. There must be a few retired players around who could spend time working with him restroring his confidence. Maybe Chris Bosh? Jovic’s problem is 90% mental.
Alec Burks. 38.6 career 3 pt%. Shot 42.5% for Heat in 2024-2025. Great locker room guy. Knows the system. Vet Minimum.
P.S. Alec Burks’ 2024-2025 defensive rating of 114.2 is slightly better than the league-average defensive rating for guards, which typically hovers between 114.5 and 115.0. Historically, he has consistently hovered around this baseline, serving as an average, serviceable defender for his position.
Again…who was the idiot who gave this guy this contract. Again…the absolute worst contract ever given in any sport, year, era…u get the picture. How Jovic got this far is beyond human explanation.
I was looking at the Heat contract situation, that Jovic contract is an absolute stinker. $15mil per year for the next 4 years! I think we might be stuck with this guy. I think the hope is that the Heat can resign Wiggins for more years at a smaller number, squeeze in Powell, and have a few bucks left over for minimum guys. Andy Ellisberg is gonna earn his paycheck this offseason!
Even worse, it’s $16m.
$16.2M
If they move Jovic by attaching any draft pick, ESPECIALLY our second round pick today, it would be a huge mistake! Find another way to get this done. Substitute Powell for one of the players already mentioned.
All due respect, but there may very well be no other way. If the result was losing Powell, that would be a huge mistake!
I don’t agree on losing Powell. His health scared me off a bit this year. Yeah he can score, but that’s about it. If he was back, great. I just think the price point is probably not truly worth it.
Yup!
Disagree. Players mentioned, like Simons, Hardaway, and others, would be fine especially at a lower cost. Powell is a good player and fit, and I know you’ve been enamored with him, but making a second mistake to fix the first mistake is a bad idea.
what r u smoking substitute an all star type player like powell for second rnd pick.i want norm back here
Your current best player in the league Brunson was a 2nd rd pick 😉
Not to mention that Powell also was a second round pick.
I’d be shocked if Miami found a taker for Jovic, but also at this point, while I’m worried about losing Powell, if they offload Jovic (and can’t re-sign Powell), their bench players with any real minutes the NBA is just down to Portis. Would be crazy.
Obviously they will be signing guys to fill out the open roster spots 😉
I mean I understand that, just saying the current make up – giving up another guy right now, even one as lets say inconsistent as Jovic, is concerning.
😉
I’m on the Grimes or bust train. Save $, leave Pelle coming off the bench. Other have mentioned Anfernee Simons, but I would prefer him off the bench. I would have no issues starting Grimes. Can’t wait to hear more about the plan with Powell or the plan to replace him.
Why leave Pelle on the bench? He consistently was part of the best performing units even when he was starting.
I was using his game experience as someone who COULD come off the bench. I personally don’t care. He will contribute no matter where he is.
But Grimes is a better offensive player, which is why I personally have him starting. The starting unit needs pop if we lose Powell.
I agree, but the issue is going to be you have to have 3 point shooters around Giannis and Pelle is not quite there yet.
Going to have to sweeten the deal. Second round pick (maybe this years) and get a marginal player back. It makes sense.
Maybe, we also give up another end of the rotation player (KJ?). We are in win now mode.
If you get a marginal player back who can be a #10 or 11, and shed the salary, maybe. .
Thats probably wont happen. Not only picks, Heat will get similar quality players back in trades or a similar bad contract. No way this would help retain other players.
This right here. If it’s going to be a team with just cap space that would absorb this contract then they will absolutely want a 1st at minimum.
Its a long contract, its a rich contract, and its a young player playing poorly.
Maybe a deal with Bulls for Williams would go through. But he is a worse player den Jovic.
thats impossible i got jovic ranked at 450
if riley can unload shnozzy hes gm of the year.g/l pat u dum ass.oh wait u just got greek take that back