As the Miami Heat continue into the thick of their offseason, their summer league unit got set to kick things off in the California Classic portion of play. Prior to the start of the game, they took care of some more business.
A standard procedure, it seems, they got their latest draftee in rookie forward, Nikola Jovic, signed to his deal.
Welcome to life in 2022... @Jovic_5 just officially signed his contract digitally 📱👀
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) July 2, 2022
Details - https://t.co/584zxbRNJE@MiamiHEAT // @FTX_Official pic.twitter.com/cHuXi6fPgE
On most other days or in most other times for the Miami Heat, this would seem like a normal happening. However, at the moment, it says more than it looks to say on the surface.
In case you have been hiding under a rock or just aren’t a fan of the NBA, Kevin Durant recently requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Miami Heat took a pretty good prospect at 27 in the NBA Draft, Nikola Jovic. Could they move him in a potential deal to acquire Kevin Durant though?
With two teams atop his preferred destinations list according to reports, the Miami Heat and the Suns, the good people in South Florida are certainly doing all they can.
You have to be honest, every team should be doing their due diligence on the matter. But, what does that have to do with this?
Nikola Jovic has been signed by the Heat. There now is a 30-day restriction when he cannot be dealt. Starts at $2.2 million on rookie scale.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 2, 2022
While it doesn’t tell you anything about the status or actual reality of a Kevin Durant to Miami trade, it does tell you that Jovic won’t be going anywhere for 30 days. That means that he won’t be going out in a deal for the superstar or that a deal won’t happen to acquire Durant for the Heat—at least, not in the next 30 days if Jovic is to be a part of the package sent out.
The Miami Heat are surely still doing what they can to acquire KD, you have to imagine, but it does present an interesting situation. It would be a unique scenario for Miami to be able to keep a prospect like Jovic in a deal like that, but it would also be a bit interesting for another reason.
With Jovic’s skill set, it would, potentially, hugely benefit him to learn from a guy like Durant. Durant must land in Miami first though, while Jovic must still be there for any of that to happen, but these are the circumstances on that right now.