In Kevin O’Connor’s latest mock draft for Yahoo Sports, he has the Miami Heat selecting Washington forward Hannes Steinbach with the No. 13 pick. Steinbach was an elite offensive player for the Huskies this past year, and he projects to be a solid power forward with size at the NBA level. But he also looks like the type of guy who could seriously cut into Nikola Jovic’s minutes.
Jovic hasn’t really panned out quite yet, even though the Heat handed him a massive contract extension not too long ago. Selecting Steinbach – who has some three-point work to do if he wants to be a full-time five – could definitely give Jovic some more competition for playing time.
And maybe that’s for the best.
Heat picking Hannes Steinbach could mean end of Nikola Jovic era
After a relatively promising 2024-25 campaign, Jovic took a major step back this past season. His efficiency dipped, his scoring dipped, and most importantly, his minutes dipped.
It was a significant decline from the player it looked like he was once becoming, and moving forward, there are legitimate questions as to whether or not he’ll be a long-term part of Miami’s core.
As noted, Steinbach needs to prove that he can consistently shoot the three-ball (34.0% on 1.8 attempts his freshman year at Washington) if he wants to play the four consistently.
But he has enough potential and is young enough for the Heat to develop him in that area. And if they manage to get him to a point where he’s shooting well from deep, Jovic would be in danger of losing all his minutes.
Steinbach is an elite rebounder, especially on the offensive end. Having him in the game would give the Heat a huge advantage on the glass at all times, earning them extra possessions, too.
His touch around the basket is also elite. He possesses a wide array of driving moves that help him get downhill through the teeth of the defense, and he’s a smart passer out of the short roll when running the PnR.
Considering where Jovic is in his career, should Miami get the chance to bring in Steinbach with the 13th pick, he may immediately leapfrog Jovic in the rotation.
A Steinbach selection for the Heat could signal the beginning of the end of the Jovic era in South Beach.
At just 20 years old, Steinbach is already an extremely intriguing talent, and he could be a great get for the Heat. Though it may not be ideal for Jovic.
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