Nikola Jovic To Miss The Most Highly Anticipated NBA Summer Legue Match….

Due to an ankle ailment, Nikola Jovic is expected to miss this month’s Olympic Games in Paris, per European media sources. All the Miami Heat can do is hope that his injury doesn’t affect how the NBA season begins for him.

Jovic was expected to be a part of Serbia’s power rotation after a successful second NBA season, but when he showed up for the start of camp with a walking boot, he wasn’t instantly cut off the squad.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Jovic hurt himself last month during a defensive closeout drill at Kaseya Center. The Heat’s medical staff has diagnosed the injury as a metatarsal sprain, and there is no timetable for his recovery. The Sentinel also reports that the Serbian national team will determine whether Jovic can play in the Olympics. Jovic was left out of Serbia’s first Olympic warmup game and was taken off the team’s traveling roster for the remainder of their exhibition games in Abu Dhabi prior to the Paris Games later this month. Jovic will stay in Belgrade while he heals.

Jovic might miss the start of training camp or the NBA season, which worries the Heat right now.

By the time the Heat qualified for the playoffs, Jovic—the 27th pick in the 2022 draft—had established himself as Miami’s starting power forward after having a strong second season. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2 assists in 19.5 minutes. If healthy, Jovic is expected to remain Miami’s starting power forward next season.

If Jovic isn’t ready to start the season, the Heat would likely choose between starting the smaller Haywood Highsmith or going with a bigger lineup featuring Bam Adebayo alongside another center, either Kevin Love or Kel’el Ware, in the starting lineup.