It's been so bad for Nikola Jovic this season that he's now getting comparisons to Terry Rozier, something that will truly send a shiver down the backs of Miami Heat fans.
Specifically, Heat reporter Barry Jackson brought up the comparison in pointing out that Jovic's 3-point percentage has dramatically dipped much the way that Rozier's did last season. Jovic shot 39 and 37 percent from deep each of the last two seasons, but is only connecting on 27 percent from 3-point range this year.
Considering his volume, that makes Jovic one of the worst 3-point shooters in the league this season. Similarly, Rozier went from shooting 36 percent from deep in 2023-24 to 29 percent from 3 last season.
Overall, it's been a pretty disastrous season for Jovic, and heading into the final stretch of the season, the young wing has to be scrambling to right the ship. But that may be easier said than done.
Nikola Jovic is in the midst of an identity crisis
Right now, it does feel like Jovic is in the midst of an identity crisis. It's almost as if he doesn't know how to fit in with the Heat. And considering that his role can change from night to night, it's been even more difficult for Jovic to find his footing.
What makes this all the more difficult to digest is the fact that heading into the start of the season, Jovic was considered to be one of the brighter spots for this team. He was quickly tabbed as a breakout candidate, and many believed this year would be a coming-out party for the four-year wing.
To say that hasn't happened would be a massive understatement.
Jovic has regressed in nearly every statistical category this season, and there are real doubts about whether he fits in the long-term plans of this team. In fact, the only real reason why he's still getting somewhat consistent minutes is that the Heat already has so much invested in his development.
Before the season, the Heat took a gamble on Jovic by giving him a four-year contract extension. That gamble has yet to pay off, but Miami is almost forced to try to make it work because of that.
If the Heat hadn't given him that contract extension before the season, there's a strong argument to be made that he's probably not in Erik Spoelstra's rotation anymore.
Jovic still has plenty of time to change the narrative of the season, but if it doesn't happen soon, this is a dark cloud that is likely going to carry into the offseason and beyond. That's something that Jovic doesn't want, and one thing that Heat fans won't be thrilled about.
Despite the clear comparison, Jovic is not Rozier. He's a more talented player than Rozier and has a greater upside. However, if he can't quickly figure things out, there's reason to believe that the Jovic contract extension could fall right in line with the mistake of trading for Rozier in the lore of modern history of great Heat missteps.