3 Young players the Heat should develop, 2 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
Don’t Develop: Nikola Jovic
The Heat selected Jovic in the first round in 2022, but the 20-year-old barely played as a rookie. He did have a six-game stretch in November where he averaged 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. That was the highlight as the forward was mostly out of the rotation, and Jovic even struggled when given minutes in the G League.
He had two years of professional experience before arriving in the NBA, but the 6’10 forward needs time to develop. It is way too early to write him off. The 20-year-old is still five to seven years away from his prime, but there should be some worry after he struggled mightily in the G League.
Jovic performed better in summer league as he averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 24.9 minutes per game, but it was over a brief four-game sample.
The 6’10 forward can handle the ball a bit as a big man, and there are plenty of flashes to get excited about. Should the Heat still be prioritizing his development? His rookie season did not show enough, but it is too soon to make a definitive call. If forced, it is a don’t develop, but Nikola Jovic could quickly jump to the other side of the ledger this season, which is something worth watching.