Heat Updates: Powell’s Contract Outlook, Jovic Extension Figures, Ware’s Preseason Role, Johnson’s Determination
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Guard Norman Powell said he had begun preliminary extension talks with the Los Angeles Clippers before being sent to the Miami Heat this summer. “They told me they didn’t want to trade me, they wanted me there,” Powell told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “But they inevitably ended up trading me.”
The 32-year-old is entering the final season of his current deal. Miami is open to discussing a new contract but is expected to wait until the regular season is underway to evaluate his fit. Powell insists he is concentrating solely on on-court production. “If I go out there and perform, you’re going to be rewarded,” he said.
Powell made an early statement Monday, scoring 18 points in 16 minutes during a preseason win over Milwaukee while shooting 6-for-12 overall and 3-for-6 from deep. “You can see his ignitability,” head coach Erik Spoelstra noted. “I like what he can do on the drive, and he can really get hot from three.”
Jovic Extension Structure
Nikola Jovic’s four-year rookie-scale extension begins at $16.2 million in 2026-27, drops to $14.904 million in 2027-28, rises slightly to $15.096 million in 2028-29, and returns to $16.2 million in 2029-30. The front-loaded dip provides additional cap flexibility in the summers of 2027 and 2028, indicating the club is not prioritizing 2026 cap space.
Jovic started for the second straight preseason game Monday against the Bucks. Center Kel’el Ware, who finished last season as a starter, again came off the bench and has yet to share the floor with Bam Adebayo this month.
Ware’s Mixed Night
Ware registered 18 points and 13 rebounds but committed four turnovers and finished a minus-21. Spoelstra downplayed the double-double. “It’s got to impact the game,” he said. “I want him the next game to be a plus-20. It does not matter if you have 18 and 13 if it’s not impacting winning.”
Johnson Out to Validate Team Option
Miami surprised some observers by guaranteeing Keshad Johnson’s 2025-26 team option despite the forward logging just 98 minutes as a rookie. Johnson said he intends to prove the decision correct. “That shows they were willing to bet on me,” he said. “If they bet on me, I’ve got to prove them right.” Johnson added he is comfortable playing either on the wing or in the frontcourt: “Whether I’m undersized or not, I can compete with anybody.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
