Ranking the 5 players most responsible for the Heat's success next season

As fun as it may be to debate the occupants of two-way contracts and what players the Miami Heat should sign for minimum contracts, the team's success will be decided by the stars at the top of the roster.

For the Heat to have a more successful 2024-25 season, they’ll need the core rotation players to step up, from Jimmy Butler at the top to young players hoping to make an impact. 

In this slideshow, we’ll cover the top five players who can help make the Heat’s season a success, ranked by levels of importance.

5. Nikola Jovic

Jovic made a leap in his second year. Building off a strong FIBA World Cup showing last summer, Jovic returned to the Heat in his second season more confident and ready to contribute. By the end of the season, he had emerged as Miami’s starting power forward.

Despite the starting nod, Jovic ranked 11th on the team in minutes per game. Erik Spoelstra mostly gave Jovic the Luke Babbitt treatment, starting him to begin each half but resting him for the more meaningful pockets of the game.

It’s up to Jovic to graduate from Babbitt to full-time difference maker.

Did his second season prime Jovic for a bigger leap in his third year? There are some positive indicators, like his 3-point rate (fifth in attempts per 36 minutes at a 40% clip), defensive rebounding rate (behind only centers Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love and Thomas Bryant) and True Shooting percentage (ahead of Adebayo, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyler Herro). 

To get on the floor more, Jovic needs to maximize his 6-foot-10 frame as a more consistent defender, floor-scanning passer and perimeter shooter. If he develops into a legitimate closing option, then Jovic could become a unique weapon for a team in need of more pop on both ends of the court.