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.
Why is he being played at the 5 when the heat literally have Bam and Orlando Robinson?
This makes me sad 🥺.
Yea I’m with Jovic man the dude runs offense and scores, he’s not a natural big man leave thar to unskillful players like Thomas Bryant and Orlando Robinson. Jovic is basically an overgrown pointguard/point forward this is why we traded Precious we thought he wasn’t good or garbage then breaksout in Toronto. Jimmy said the same thing aswell, Jovic minimum deserve 5 or 10mins a night, only used in the correct role tho. If we’re not gonna use him like a guard then he shouldn’t play and he should spend most time, in gleague so he can do what he wants.
I really hope this whole Jovic situation works out but idk if it will or not, it ultimately relies on Spo to play him correctly. Back in the 80s we had Magic Johnson playing pointguard and he’s a lockdown defender Jovic is not. Today’s game people don’t need defense at the point as long as they’re really good at scoring and playmaking. Which is Jovic, this will either go in two ways maybe a 3rd way.
1st way with all the injuries, we experiment with Jovic, sees what his best strengths are and use him during those moments.
2nd way, we keep him at the gleague open up a roster spot so Jovic can play more often
3rd way Jimmy goes with Jovic and they go talk with Spo
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.
Spo is killing this kids confidence forcing him as a 5. Absolute fuckin shame. Yes Spo is a good coach, but he is not infallible
He’s too dogshit defensively to play anywhere else.
I think one of the problems is that the majority of our team is 3s and 4s.
And I get it - these are some of the best players we could get and they all just happen to play the same position - but our roster does have a huge glut at SF and PF. Even at Center, we have Bam/Love/T Bryant. When you think about it, I’m not sure how Jovic even got minutes there lol (aside from Bam being injured, that is).
They’re letting their lack of depth at center necessitate a miracle
Spo has being doing this awhile, so I stand by his decisions. It suck’s for the kid, but nothing in the NBA is really fair per say. This interview won’t do him any favors either.
The problem with Jovic is that he is way too fucking slow to defend the perimeter and he’s too foul happy playing as a big. He can’t defend any position on the floor.