Heat slowly making Nikola Jovic realization they should've already known

"He hasn't looked comfortable at all this year, with probably the exception of a handful of games, and he just logged his first DNP-CD of the year. In other words, after coming back from injury, he found himself on the outside looking in of head coach Erik Spoelstra's rotation. It could've been Spo just playing it safe with Jovic's return, and giving him more time to get back to full health, but it's certainly not an encouraging sign."

"After such a strong summer for Team Serbia in the EuroBasket Tournament, it's only natural to suggest that perhaps Jovic has much more value on the international stage than he does in the NBA. After all, a big reason why the Heat gave Jovic the extension before the start of the season was because of how impressive he looked during the summer for Team Serbia. It wasn't the only reason, but you'd assume that it did play a big role in their decision-making."

"The Heat expected Jovic to carry that offseason momentum into the start of the season, and that simply hasn't happened. In fact, the argument could be made that the opposite has transpired instead. This is not to say that Jovic still can't make that leap in his development that the team was expecting (or hoping) he could make this year, but it would be much more surprising after his underwhelming start to this season."

The Miami Heat extended Nikola Jovic's contract following a strong EuroBasket showing for Team Serbia. Jovic has produced an underwhelming start to the NBA season, appearing uncomfortable and recently recording a DNP-CD after returning from injury. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has not consistently included Jovic in the rotation, suggesting caution or limited confidence in his readiness. Front office personnel likely considered Jovic's international performance when approving the extension and could be second-guessing that decision after early-season results. The team still has room to expect developmental improvement, but significant progression this year would be more surprising after the slow start.

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