The Miami Heat are 13-13 roughly two months into the season. So far, their campaign has been a roller coaster. Most notably, Heat star Jimmy Butler has been the subject of many trade rumors, though nothing has come to fruition yet. Additionally, they have teetered the line between winning and losing basketball. However, regardless of how it is happening, the Heat are currently the No. 6 seed and seem destined to return to the postseason. Furthermore, the Heat may be getting some reinforcement, especially one in particular by the name of Kel’el Ware.
Earlier this month, the Heat traded backup center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers. This, in addition to Kevin Love missing Miami’s game against the Orlando Magic for personal reasons, has opened the door up for Ware. After an impressive Summer League performance, the rookie big man has not seen consistent time on the court. However, against Orlando, Ware played a career-high 14 minutes.
After the game, head coach Erik Spoelstra praised Ware’s performance and ability to step up. In doing so, he may have hinted that Ware may earn more opportunities this season (subscription required).
“He has been doing what he needs to do,” Spoelstra said. “This is what I really respect about what he’s done so far as a young player. He has not gotten caught up in anything other than daily improvement, which is hard to do if you’re not necessarily playing every single game. But you commit to the process, you commit to the work in the weight room, pre-practice, film sessions, all the things. Young players sometimes can think we’re a little bit crazy with all of that, and he hasn’t. He’s embraced all of it. So it’s going to happen for him.”
Erik Spoelstra Suggests Kel’el Ware Is in Line for More Chances With the Heat
Kel’el Ware Has Improved Since Summer League, Per Erik Spoelstra
Spoelstra spoke about Ware’s improving as a player from his time in Summer League. Additionally, he described exactly what makes him “unique” and why he is an asset for the Heat.
“I see Kel’el as improved from this summer,” Spoelstra said. “He’s unique. His size, his quick twitch, he can impact the game on both ends. So we’ll just continue to work with him. It’s been a joy to work and develop him as a staff.”
The 20-year-old appeared in eight total games in the Summer League in Las Vegas and California. In those games, all starts, he averaged 18.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.9 blocks. He also shot 58.4% from the field.
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Despite a slow start to his rookie year, it seems that Ware is becoming a bigger contributor with the Heat. At this point, it seems unlikely that Ware will crack the team’s starting lineup in the near future unless they opt to move Bam Adebayo to the power forward slot instead. Regardless, Ware is an incredibly talented player who deserves a shot in Miami. Now that it seems like he has it, he will be a player to monitor going forward.
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