Miami Heat youngster Nikola Jovic didn’t get to play all that much at the NBA level last season, his first in the league, but he was still able to learn some valuable things.
Jovic recently praised Heat star Jimmy Butler and explained what he wants to take away from his veteran teammate.
Nikola Jovic on Jimmy Butler's greatness. "Just his working mentality. He's one of those guys that you'll see work all the time. When he's on the court he will give 100%. That's what I'm trying to takeaway from him". #HeatCulture @SportalgrG pic.twitter.com/OIpwyMIsnD
— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) August 10, 2023
It’s great that Jovic is already identifying things he wants to take from Butler. After all, the 33-year-old is one of the league’s best players and coming off an incredible 2023 NBA Playoffs in which he averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game on 46.8 percent shooting from the field and 35.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Jovic only played in seven playoff games last season and received a total of 13 minutes. During the regular season, he appeared in 15 games and recorded 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per contest.
Depending on how the rest of the offseason turns out, the youngster could easily carve out a bigger role for the Heat in the 2023-24 campaign. He recently addressed seeing his name involved in trade rumors regarding Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard by expressing a desire to stay in Miami.
The Heat have reportedly been prepared to offer a package of multiple first-round picks, expiring deals, a young player like Jovic, Tyler Herro going to a third team for assets and potentially more for Lillard.
With the 2023 FIBA World Cup set to being in a little more than two weeks, Jovic has a big chance to show that he can handle a bigger role this season.
In a recent game against Italy, the Serbian big man recorded 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one block, showing off a variety of skills in the process.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would likely find a way to give Jovic a decent amount of minutes if he were to perform like this in training camp and the preseason.
Only time will tell what team Jovic ends up playing for once the regular season begins. What’s clear, however, is that he’ll be able to make a solid impact no matter where he is.
