Nikola Jović’s start to the 2025-26 season was defined by an immediate demotion to the second unit and maddening offensive volatility. He occasionally caught fire as a primary option, erupting for 29 points, nine boards, and six assists on 11/09 vs POR to earn a +11.6 Impact score through brilliant, aggressive shot-making. Yet, those outbursts were exceptions to a grim rule. Far too often, his erratic shot selection and clunky execution tanked his overall value on the floor. During his 11/13 vs CLE appearance, Jović managed just two points on 1-for-6 shooting, resulting in a disastrous -16.5 Impact score as his forced jumpers actively killed offensive momentum. He did occasionally find ways to help the team survive despite quiet scoring nights. On 10/28 vs CHA, he tallied a modest 10 points but still generated a +6.0 Impact score by taking smart, efficient shots and battling for six crucial rebounds. To survive in this rotation, he must stop swinging wildly between bench savior and outright offensive liability.

Nikola Jović’s mid-season stretch was defined by a maddening pendulum swing between dynamic scoring bursts and crippling shooting slumps. When his perimeter stroke was actually falling, he looked like a genuine difference-maker off the bench. Look at the 12/30 vs DEN matchup, where he caught fire for 22 points on five made threes to generate a stellar +13.1 Impact score. Yet, decent raw point totals often masked deeper inefficiencies in his floor game. During the 12/07 vs SAC contest, he managed a respectable 12 points and six assists, but a miserable -12.3 Impact score exposed the hidden costs of his inefficient 4-for-10 shooting and empty trips down the floor. The bottom completely fell out shortly after his brief holiday surge. Facing 01/02 vs DET, Jović chucked his way to a brutal 1-for-10 shooting night, earning a -12.7 Impact score as his disastrous shot selection actively killed the second unit's momentum.