The Miami Heat enters the 2025-26 NBA season without Jimmy Butler after trading him for the Golden State Warriors.
When the Miami Heat traded Jimmy Butler at the 2025 NBA trade deadline, Butler marked the end of the era as he spent six seasons in HEAT from 2019 to 2025.
Butler led the heat to the 2020 NBA Finals and the 2023 NBA Finals, but unfortunately reduced both times.
In 2023, Butler helped the Heat make his historic playoff run as he made the NBA Finals as the eighth seed, which hadn’t happened since the 1999 New York Knicks.
With Butler gone, the heat relies on Tyler Hero, Bam Adebayo and their young talents.
Forward Nicola Jovic agreed to a four-year, $62.4 million rookie contract extension and a contract extension with Heat before the start of the preseason.
Butler spent two and a half seasons with Jovic in Miami and took a closer look at what he could do.
Butler knew that Jovic was the kind of talent he would ultimately be paid for from the heat.
After a match with the Hawks in 2024, Butler spoke to the media while he was still a member of the Heat, and was sure Jovic would have a big payday.
“I know who he is, I know he is a type of player, and honestly, I know how much money he makes in this league.”
Jovic was just 22 years old and played 107 of the 246 possible games in The Heat, as he chose him with the No. 27 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
In three seasons of The Heat, Jovic averaged 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 107 regular season games.
When Butler was in the heat, he said Jovic already looked like a veteran veteran.
“He plays an important role in all of our games. This young man carries himself as if he was part of all of this for six or seven years already.”
Jovic was last seen playing with Nikola Jokic and Serbia on Eurobasket, where he showed positive signs of growth.
The heat showing his commitment to Jovic in this deal means that he is expected to become a critical part of their spinning.