As the new-look Bucks and Celtics rise toward the top of the East, the Heat may need a breakout season from Nikola Jovic to keep pace.
With the Eastern Conference powering up, the Miami Heat are looking for one of their younger players to break out in 2023-24 to go along with their main core. A player who stands out that has high expectations not only for himself, but from the coaching staff and teammates is Nikola Jovic.
No… not dominating NBA Finals MVP and Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, just to make that clear.
However, Heat fans know Jovic is a young and exciting player who could excel under head coach Erik Spoelstra, despite being only 20 years old.
Due to roster changes this past season, Jovic is certainly poised to receive as much playing time as he has received early in his NBA career.
He played only 15 games last season, averaging 5.
5 points and 2.
1 rebounds.
Jovic was selected with the 27th pick in the 2022 draft, but superstar Jimmy Butler said he has noticed a difference in Jovic entering his second season in terms of confidence.
“Nikola walked with his chest puffed out, he had a certain confidence.
I love it,” Butler said, per Wes Goldberg of All You Can Heat.
“He is more and more aware of his qualities as a basketball player, of his place in this league and on the world stage.
He will play an important role for us.
When Butler mentions “the world stage,” he is referring to Jovic who is playing with the Serbian national team at this year’s FIBA World Cup.
Serbia finished second in the league with Jovic averaging 10.
1 points per game.
“This is exactly the type of summer and offseason he needs,” Spoelstra said of Jovic, according to the Miami Herald.
“Being able to compete, being able to participate in all of our summer league practices and play in those summer games against high-level competition.
And we didn’t necessarily know how the Serbian team was going to play and that was great for him.
He has a great opportunity.
Jovic has great potential and has shown the ability to score goals in any position despite his tall body.
One ironic comparison that even Jovic made at Media Day was to Heat big man Kevin Love, who clearly believes in his young teammate’s long-term development.
“I think he’s one of those guys you can’t put limits on.
He improved his game, his weight, he gained 20 pounds and had a great year of improvement,” Love said.
“I watched the second half of last year and I had a great summer.
He has knowledge of my style of play, but also Bam [Adebayo] with the way he manages the ball, he brings the ball up.
He is a hard worker and he will continue to improve.
While Jovic was a standout in FIBA and NBA Summer League, the question is whether he can transfer that style of play to the NBA.
It’s probably safe to assume there will be some growing pains if he gets significant time, but Jovic’s potential to develop into a reliable bench player could work wonders for Miami , giving the team another versatile weapon in their quest for a championship.
Getting used to playing away from home in Serbia could be the driving force behind this improvement.
“Last year it was a new country, new team, new teammates, new everything,” Jovic said, according to Locked on Heat.
“This year I really feel at home, it’s different.
I feel like I belong here with these people and I’m happy to be with them.
The Serbian-born player has repeatedly said that there is a lot of room for improvement, which is not shocking for a 20-year-old.
If given time, he could definitely explode this season.
Jovic will have the rest of the Heat’s training camp and preseason roster to prove he’s worthy of a key role in Miami.