The Miami Heat locked up one of their most promising young players this week as they inked Nikola Jovic to a contract extension, as per Shams Charania of ESPN. The move comes as the Heat open training camp and prepare for the 2025-26 regular season.
The contract extension that Nikola Jovic signed with the Heat is worth $62.4 million and for four years. Jovic was entering the final year of his rookie scale contract after the Heat exercised his team option before last season. If they did not come to an agreement on a contract extension, Jovic would have hit unrestricted free agency this coming offseason.
The No. 27 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jovic’s playing time and role has increased in each of the past few seasons. Last year, his third in the NBA, Jovic put up career numbers. He is expected to play a major role for the Heat this season.
This past year, Jovic appeared in a total of 46 games for the Heat, including ten starts, at a little over 25 minutes per game. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists with splits of 45.6 percent shooting from the field, 37.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 82.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
During the Heat’s opening round playoff elimination by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jovic averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists with splits of 37.1 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent shooting from the three-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Jovic should be the team’s primary frontcourt reserve next season assuming Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware are the starters at center and power forward. Jovic’s ability to space the floor with his three-point shooting is part of what makes him valuable to the team.
