Heat exercise 2024-25 option on 2022 first-round pick

The Heat have exercised their third-year team option on Nikola Jovic, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). The move has no impact on Jovic’s status for the upcoming season but locks in his $2,464,200 salary for the 2024-25 season.

Unlike team option decisions on veteran contracts, which are generally due by June 29, team option decisions on rookie scale contracts must be made by Oct. 31, a year before they go into effect. The full list of upcoming ’24-25 rookie scale team option decisions can be found right here — Jovic’s is the first to be picked up.

The 27th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jovic was limited to 15 appearances as a rookie, in part due to back issues. He averaged 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .406/.229/.947.

The 20-year-old forward offered a promising glimpse of his potential at this summer’s World Cup, where he averaged 10.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.6 APG on .566/.423/.769 shooting in eight games (23.9 MPG) for Serbia. He was frequently cited as a possible trade candidate if the Heat made a move for Damian Lillard but ultimately remained in Miami as the team stood pat.

The Heat’s next major decision on Jovic’s contract will come in the fall of 2024, when they’ll have to decide whether to exercise his fourth-year option, worth approximately $4.46M, for the 2025-26 season.