Inside The Heat

Erik Spoelstra says Jovic starting isn't permanent

Ethan J. Skolnick|
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Miami Heat

Everything seems to be pointing in one direction.

The praise. The contract extension. And the insertion into the starting lineup for the first two preseason games, first against Orlando in Puerto Rico and Monday against Milwaukee in Miami.

But Erik Spoelstra wryly said Monday not to make too much of Nikola Jovic in the opening group. Not yet, anyway.

Nothing is set in stone with Spoelstra who, due to injuries and inconsistencies and in-season transactions the past two seasons, had not really been able to settle on set starting lineups. And that's especially true in preseason, when he wants to get a look at different combinations -- and also doesn't have some core players available, including starting guard Tyler Herro.

But it does seem more likely that Jovic will remain a starter than say, Jaime Jaquez, Jr.

What remains notable is that Kel'el Ware is not starting at this point, after finishing last season as the starting center.

Saturday against the Magic, Ware didn't play a minute with Bam Adebayo, his frontcourt partner for the final two months of last season, plus the play-in tournament and playoffs. Monday against the Bucks, Ware entered with four subs with the Heat up 19-17. Jovic exited wth three rebounds and three assists in his opening stint, as Norm Powell and Andrew Wiggins paced the scoring.

What's clear is that Spoelstra will keep searching, even if it will be surprising to see him shift from Jovic to Ware, barring injury -- something the Heat are hoping Jovic can finally avoid. Miami needs Jovic's creativity and spacing, especially until Herro returns.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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