Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic has improved each season.

All that hard work paid off once Jovic, a native of Serbia, earned a starting spot for the Heat next to Bam Adebayo as a stretch forward. His most notable game as a starter came in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 13. Jovic finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 61.5 percent shooting and 62.5 percent from three-point range.

He kept that starting role through the playoffs, where the 20-year-old had three double-digit scoring performances in his first playoff minutes. He had 11 points on three 3-pointers in a victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference series. He helped set the team’s franchise record for 3s made in a playoff game.

Now entering his third NBA season, Jovic has added more muscle to his 6-foot-10, 209-pound frame. It should help him create mismatches on offense and defense. Because of his three-point shooting and ability to play without the ball, Miami had some of the highest offensive ratings of the season last year when Jimmy Butler and Adebayo played with Jovic. 

Jovic has the chance to elevate Miami’s offense even more as a starter, with Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro healthy at the same time. This allows their entire starting lineup to space the floor with three-point shooting.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on

X @bryantownesjr11.

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