I just read it and was surprised how frustrated he seems right now. Here is the original text: https://www.maxbetsport.rs/nikola-jovic-majami-hit-nba-liga-481910/
I have put the English translation below:
Nikola Jovic finally played for Miami, which lost to Brooklyn on the night between Saturday and Sunday in New York. The Serbian spent 16 and a half minutes on the court and during that time he recorded one point, six rebounds and five assists, which is a quite good performance considering that he did not play excessively this season.
After the game, Jović gave an interview to “MaxBet Radio” on the show “60 minutes with Vlad and Aco”, in which he expressed his dissatisfaction with the role he has in Miami:
– It’s not easy, it’s really not easy. It’s even harder for me than last year. I mean, I kind of feel like I can play and I deserve it. They think I’m not ready yet and I totally understand. There is nothing there. I don’t know where this is going, and all I’m trying to do is be on the field as much as possible. Somehow, even when I’m playing, I feel like maybe I’m being misused. I hope that some things will change, I will continue to work… I really support everything they do for me and it will get better for sure – Nikola said with sadness in his voice.
Interestingly, coach Erik Spoelstra used him at center against the Nets, which is kind of the wrong position for Jovic. Was that place on the field more about defense or in general?
– More on the defensive game. Everything I’m good at, they don’t seem to use, and what I’m worse at, they seem to force it. Those things make me not feel the best on the pitch. What do I know, it will get better.
Jović had two attractive passes during the match. When asked if he sees his strength in that, his versatility, he answered:
– I know that I can play in several positions and in several ways, but they simply seem to be trying to limit me in some way. I’m really coping and trying to make the best of this, but it’s not easy. It’s really not easy.
He then revealed that he himself insisted on going to the developmental G League:
– I insisted. There is no point in sitting out the whole season after a good summer. I even like the G league, but there I play in the “five” position. Somehow, it’s like there’s no way out for me right now. I still don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I’m sure there will be.
Of course, the inevitable question was whether he gained confidence after his performance at the World Championship in Manila:
– Well, it gave me confidence. That’s why I was ready for the new season. I thought everything would look better. I thought I showed that I can play at the highest level, but there you go. It seems that it was not enough for them and I hope it will get better.
Then he spoke again about the “five” position, this time about whether he expected to play it:
– I didn’t expect it, but here it is… It seems that the only thing I could have expected and that I will have to think about it a lot more in the future.
Finally, he compared being in warm Miami to cold Sioux Falls, where he played while on the development team:
– I mean, it’s good. I’m there for basketball and that’s how I think about it – concluded Nikola Jović.
by Jokara34
12 Comments
He may want to watch the game. He isn’t very good . A lot of great flashes. But raw. On the other hand “he ain’t a five!”
Young player has to improve at things he’s not good at. This really shouldn’t be news to a professional, no matter how young.
He needs to be traded, Spo is never going to use him in the position he needs to be at to improve his game. It doesn’t matter what he can become I just don’t see it happening in this system.
For some reason this all sounded like the dialogue of a dissatisfied player in a FIFA game while playing Season mode.
i feel like they did the same to precious. tried to make him into a bam and not really use his skillset. i hope jokic gets minutes at another position, he did look good pushing the ball on his limited minutes in other games.
Jovic’s probably frustrated seeing Jaquez come straight into the league and get so much playing time in his rookie year. Jovic’s time will come he just has to be patient.
He’s just not as good as heat fans think. It’s like another kz situation
Poor fella. I get the frustration, but defensively, he’s not great now. I imagine he wants to play more at the point of attack, but that has got to be hard defensively as he’s a bit slow-footed and out of position pretty often. He missed some time in preseason. That’s rough and really did in Big Yurt last year too with his ankle.
It doesn’t help that all the starters were a net minus yesterday and Jovic was the biggest net minus off the bench. If he just focused defensively, I think his offense would come to him.
Feels like Jovic+FRP+Martin or Lowry is going to be a move to improve the starting lineup at some point this season.
I still think best, most realistic is Lowry, Jovic, and Dru Smith to the Wizards, Martin to a third team for picks that get routed to the Wizards.
Heat get back Tyus Jones and Kuzma. Need to include Martin salary wise to take back Tyus. But I think a starting lineup with Kuzma for scoring and shooting really elevates the team. Tyus is a great backup point guard and the 10 man rotation is improved overall.
Starting lineup of:
Herro-Butler-Highsmith-Kuzma-Bam
Duncan-Jaime-Tyus/Richardson-Love off the bench for the 10 man rotation.
Wizards make the move to (1) Get a young talented player who needs playing time, (2) it’s tank season so they are okay with growing pains, & (3) they free up a ton of salary space and would only have ~77 million on the books, allowing them to take on bad contracts/tax evading contracts for picks.
He’s right. He should be playing the 3/4 (mainly 4) and not at the 5. He’s definitely a work in progress. Spo loves defense and versatility (being able to play multiple positions) which is the two things Jovic is struggling at.
He would probably develop quicker on a team that gave him the ball in his hands more rather than a spot up guy. You can tell he’s a rhythm guy whose strength is playmaking and pushing tempo for easy shots. Needs to improve his defense and have consistent shooting to survive in the NBA though.
He’s a point forward that we have stuck at the 5 and suddenly expect him to be a rim protector.
he’s right, he might actually not be ready but he also hasn’t really been given a fair chance. he started off the season as a dnp against the pistons, then finally got some pt against the bucks and timberwolves, looked solid, then gets sent to the g league?
a lot of his answer do seem really unprofessional though and remind me of what dragic said on the raptors i feel like they don’t expect this to end up being translated for some reason lol