Nikola Jovic’s performance during Eurobasket is about to make for interesting extension discussions with the Miami Heat. It is also paving the way for some ambitious player comparisons. Never mind the Santi Aldama drops. Nate Duncan of Dunc’d On Prime sees a scenario in which Jovic can become the next Naz Reid.
During the podcast’s recent “Mock Rookie Extensions 2025” episode, Duncan’s cohost Danny LeRoux proposed signing Jovic to a four-year, $60 million deal. Duncan didn’t think that was quite enough.
“That’s a long time to lock in,” he explained, at around the 1:26:26 mark. “Because he does have some offensive ability that he could break out some. Eventually, maybe someone like Naz Reid could be a comp on the high end—if he breaks out.”
The Naz Reid Comparison isn’t perfect, but it's still good
This comparison is drenched in “break out” qualifiers, and isn't necessarily spot-on. But it would still be a pretty darn useful outcome.
Reid is another big man who can stretch the floor. Though he shouldered more usage through his first three years, Jovic is a higher-volume and more efficient threat from deep than he was at this stage. Reid will have him beat as a live-dribble scorer. He moves more like a wing on-ball. But Jovic is the better passer, both from a standstill and when working off the dribble.
That can open up more ways to use him coming off screens, and Miami can experiment putting him in more of a point forward’s role. He doesn’t quite have the handle or tight-traffic navigation of someone like Deni Avdija, but he’s good enough to test out in those situations when surrounded by floor-spacers.
Still, even Jovic’s middle-end outcome includes stretching defenses past the three-point line, attacking closeouts, and tossing dimes in transition or out of drives. That’s a valuable player. Jovic just needs to play—and stay healthy—enough to reach something resembling more of a finished product.
Nikola Jovic should have plenty of opportunities in Year 4
Opportunity isn’t going to elude Jovic in Year 4. He is one of three real bigs on the Heat roster, joining Bam Adebayo, and Kel’el Ware. If he doesn’t start, he’ll be among the first players off the bench.
Miami is also clearly expecting big things from its 22-year-old. The front office would have added another 4 or 5 if it wasn’t. And for all the hype over Ware’s spacing ability, Jovic blends passing and outside efficiency better than him.
In fact, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner are the only other players who stand 6’10” or taller to average over 20 points and five assists per 100 possessions through their first three seasons while making as many threes as Jovic. This isn’t to suggest the latter is on a superstar track. If he stays healthy, though, we shouldn’t discount the possibility of a fourth-year breakout.
Who knows, when all’s said and done, the Naz Reid comparison might not be ambitious enough.
