One of the decisions the Miami Heat will make this summer involves Nikola Jovic, who will be eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension on July 1. The organization drafted him with the No. 27 pick in 2022.
Jovic, who will turn 22 next week, averaged a career-high 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game for the Heat this past season, shooting 45.6% from the field and 37.1% from three. He missed a chunk of the season with a fractured right hand, resulting in him playing 46 games. It marked the second straight year that Jovic played 46 games. He played 15 as a rookie.
His postseason performance was a mixed bag, which is understandable, given that he hadn't played in two months because of his injury. Jovic played one minute in the Game 1 loss, 25 minutes in Game 2 (11 points, eight rebounds, two assists), 19 minutes in Game 3 (three points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block), and 29 minutes in Game 4 (24 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block).
Jovic's Game 4 performance is still fresh on the minds of Heat fans. No one questions whether the potential is there, but more so, his injury history and fit in Miami.
Nikola Jovic will be eligible to sign extension with Heat this offseason
Signing Jovic to a contract extension worth $10 million annually would be a good deal for the Heat, especially if his shooting improves. It'd lock him in for a solid price for the next few years. His contract, especially since he has continued to trend upward, could also be used as a trade chip. The front office needs to determine what they envision for Jovic, but, of course, it's not all up to Miami.
Jovic could enter next season without signing an extension, meaning he'd become a restricted free agent next offseason. Betting on himself could result in the Heat having to pay more to keep him, or it could leave Jovic with a less desirable contract than the one he could sign this offseason. Not signing a deal this summer would be a risky move, but it could ultimately pay off for him, but that might not be in Miami.
The Heat should push to sign Jovic to an extension this offseason, but that doesn't mean they should overpay him. Watching how his situation unfolds will be interesting.