As the 2024-25 season rapidly approaches, teams are starting to get ready for training camp and the NBA preseason. The Miami Heat roster is going to look pretty similar as it did last season. Non-impact players like RJ Hampton won’t be on the Heat roster, but if they have similar injury luck they’ll need to hire similar mercenaries to fill minutes. The Heat gave an injury update on Terry Rozier and Nikola Jovic, players who will need to be healthy next season for the Miami Heat roster.
Key Miami Heat Players Give Injury Updates
Terry Rozier and Nikola Jovic Injuries
This Heat update comes as good news for Miami fans. Both Rozier and Jovic are expected to be integral parts of the Miami roster for next season, and starting the season healthy is extremely important. Rozier is recovering from a neck injury that took him out of a crucial stretch last season, and Jovic is still rehabbing from ankle and knee problems.
Scary Terry Ramping Up
Terry Rozier getting ready to have a big season ⏳🔥 pic.twitter.com/9IEpo2K2uG
— Emo Jimmy (@HeatCulture13) August 31, 2024
Last season Rozier was a midseason addition to the Miami Heat roster. He played 31 games for them before missing the last 11 games and the playoffs with a neck injury. The Heat eventually diagnosed Rozier with neck spasms and he just announced that he is still recovering but expects to be ready by training camp.
Rozier told reporters of the Miami Herald,
“Where I’m at right now is just about fully, fully, fully cleared to play 5-on-5.” This bodes well for the Heat roster as they will surely need a healthy Rozier to compete in the NBA Southeast division. In his 31 games with the Heat last season, Rozier averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. He started all but one game for the Heat but was averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game with Charlotte before the trade.
Serbian Big Ready to Play
Looking back at Nikola Jovic’s transition scoring last season
The passing and vision was great
But the finishing improvements throughout the year were clear
Time to unleash it even more pic.twitter.com/QYfdgfwlHj
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) September 10, 2024
Nikola Jovic is entering his third NBA season and is looking to continue expanding his role on the Miami Heat roster. He finished the season as a starting power forward for the team, averaging 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds on the season. His numbers were even better once he got the starting position. These statistics are improvements from his rookie year numbers.
The young Serbian is dealing with an ankle injury he had before the Olympics. Jovic says he still wanted to play for his country regardless of his injury status, and he did. He said,
“My biggest goal was to just be there and be with the team and help them as much as I can and play.”
Although he might not have had as significant a role as he would have if healthy, Jovic still averaged 10.9 minutes per game for the Serbian team. He along with some Nikola Jokic heroics, helped Serbia grab a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He now says he is basically 100% healthy and ready for the season. As the current Miami Heat roster and depth chart currently stand, both Rozier and Jovic will likely be in the starting lineup. Add in a healthy Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo and you can expect the Heat to compete for a playoff spot or even more.