MIAMI – With the news of Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic signing a $62.4 million contract on a four-year deal, the star himself would speak about the situation. As the Heat have championship aspirations this upcoming season, Jovic figures to be a huge part of the rotation, resulting in the reported contract extension.
While Shams Charania of ESPN reported the news, it has not yet been official on the side of Jovic and Miami, as when speaking to the media after the third day of training camp at Florida Atlantic University, he spoke of where talks were at. It was a positive tone from the 22-year-old big who said that besides feeling “blessed,” he is in the midst of talking with his representation and that “progress is being made,” though nothing has been signed.
“I feel good. I'm blessed and everything,” Jovic said. “I'm still talking to my agent, and progress is being made. I haven't signed anything officially, but hopefully we'll get there soon. I'm happy that this ownership and organization see the talent and see the work I put in. I'll make sure to give my everything to make this contract worth a lot more.”
Jovic has been on a positive trajectory each and every year, and showed flashes last season, but it was a broken hand that had him only play 46 games, though he would return in the postseason. Still, there could be some who feel a contract extension could change a person, but Jovic negates that notion for himself.
“I feel not. I'm going to be the same person that was coming in,” Jovic said. “But I feel like it's really important to stay humble and know where you come from and know how hard you work for those things.”
Nikola Jovic on feeling comfortable with the Heat
With questions of the Heat giving Tyler Herro a contract extension as well, both him and Jovic had an Oct. 20 deadline to get a deal done before waiting in the offseason. As it remains to be seen regarding Herro, Jovic reportedly gets his after averaging a career-high 10.7 points to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range.
Jovic gives Miami positional versatility as a stretch big who has seen himself start alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt, and though Kel'el Ware has found himself in the opening lineup, the Serbian-born still was crucial coming off the bench. Selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the team has been committed to developing him into a star, which has resulted in the young star feeling “more comfortable.”
“I mean, I feel a lot more comfortable,” Jovic said. “Especially since it's my fourth year. I know how things go…I learn how to prepare my body, how to rest my body, what I do before games, before practices, and after practices. So it's easier for sure. This actually is my second home, you know, I've never been anywhere else other than in Belgrade, Serbia, and now here. So I feel great here. This is, even this year, I actually missed Miami for the first time. Maybe one day I actually end up living here, who knows?”
Heat's Nikola Jovic on the extension being “easier” for him
It was a busy summer for the Heat forward in Jovic competing in EuroBasket for his home country of Serbia, as it resulted in head coach Erik Spoelstra coming to watch a game and hang out with his family. There's no denying the relationship Jovic has built with the organization, as a contract extension is, or will be, a weight lifted off his shoulders.
“I mean, it'll be easier in that way. Like you said, you know, to think you don't really have to play for something, but I never looked at basketball that way. I want to be the best I can be. It just shows that they respect me and they want me here, so I got a whole extra boost knowing that I can show what I can do.”
At any rate, with a contract extension on the horizon, as per Jovic's comments on Thursday, he will also look to improve in training camp and throughout the preseason ahead of the season opener on Oct. 22 against the Orlando Magic.
