The Miami Herald’s Heat mailbag is here to answer your questions. If you weren’t able to ask this time, send your questions for future mailbags via X (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email them to achiang@miamiherald.com.
@KellyLinters22: What was the rush to give Jovic that contract before the season? Especially since he had never played more than 46 games in his first three years. His play has really regressed and he looks completely lost and uncomfortable.
Anthony Chiang: The Heat believed this past offseason that signing forward Nikola Jovic to a four-year, $62.4 million extension was a fair deal, especially since it avoided the risk of Jovic having a big year this season and then making even more money on the open market as a restricted free agent this upcoming summer. Now, Jovic is under contract with the Heat through the 2029-30 season.
The extension’s average of $15.6 million per season puts Jovic just around non-taxpayer midlevel exception money, which is worth $14.1 million this season but will continue to go up each season. That’s a steal for Jovic if he continues to grow into the player the Heat believes he can be as a skilled 6-foot-10 forward.
But Jovic is in the middle of what has been a disappointing fourth NBA season. After averaging career highs in points (10.7 per game), assists (2.8) and minutes (25.1) while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent on threes last season, Jovic’s production is down across the board this season.
Jovic is averaging just 8.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting an inefficient 37.1 percent from the field and 28.5 percent from three-point range this season. Among 163 players around the NBA who entered Saturday with at least 130 three-point attempts this season, Jovic holds the fourth-worst three-point shooting percentage.
Jovic has certainly taken a step back over the first half of this season. But Jovic is also just 22 years old and the extension doesn’t kick in until next season, which means he’s due just $4.4 million this season in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal,
For Jovic to live up to his extension, he doesn’t need to become a superstar. He just needs to turn into a consistent contributor. That can still happen. But this season has been rough for him.
@TaajKnows: Do the rest of the front offices around the league view the Heat’s assets the same way that the Heat front office does? We have lost out on other stars due to not having enough assets.
Anthony: I would argue what’s more important is how many tradeable draft picks the Heat has. The Heat simply has not had enough draft capital recently to catch a team’s attention in a potential trade for a star.
Because the Heat’s 2024 trade for Terry Rozier includes a lottery-protected 2027 first-round pick going to the Charlotte Hornets that would turn into an unprotected 2028 first-round pick if it doesn’t convey in 2027, Miami currently has the ability to trade only two first-round picks (2030 and 2032). NBA teams are only allowed to trade picks up to seven drafts into the future and league rules prohibit teams from being without future first-round picks in consecutive years.
For perspective, the Orlando Magic traded four unprotected first-round picks to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies this past offseason. The New York Knicks traded four unprotected first-round picks and one protected first-round pick to land Mikal Bridges during the 2024 offseason. The Minnesota Timberwolves traded three unprotected first-round picks and one protected first-round pick to add Rudy Gobert during the 2022 offseason.
The Heat likely needs more tradeable first-round picks than the two it currently has to deal for a superstar.