Last season, the Miami Heat made big man Bam Adebayo‘s primary position power forward. This allowed then rookie Kel’el Ware, a gifted seven-footer that they drafted 15th overall, to start at center. As Adebayo had excelled at the four-spot for Team USA in the Paris Olympics, this was possibly the plan entering the season. After all, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is a valued member of Team USA’s coaching staff; a potential successor to incumbent Team USA head coach Steve Kerr.
With that being said, the Heat may soon add another seven-foot former first-round pick to their stable: unrestricted free agent Kai Jones.
Heat Bring Kai Jones In For Workout
On Monday, Miami hosted a workout for Jones, per Haynes Briefs senior NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Free agent F/C Kai Jones is working out for the Miami Heat today, league sources tell me. The 2021 first-rounder remains a young, athletic prospect. pic.twitter.com/SrLM8s4KpT
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 11, 2025
A springy center who’s a surprisingly adept ball-handler, Jones’s skillset and reputation are reminiscent of JaVale McGee.
Kai Jones highlights #GOATLIFE pic.twitter.com/7ijPSWGiS3
— B.N.P On The Rise! (@bnp_ontherise) May 21, 2025
Like McGee, the early portion of Jones’s career has turned into a constant tryout. His raw athleticism and ability are enticing. Yet, his excessive confidence can lead him to playing a bit outside himself.
I asked Kai Jones about the steps he took off the court to get himself right to play basketball again:
“I want to thank the NBPA. They stepped in and played a major role in my off-the-court development program where i was doing therapy 2 times a week to get me ready to get back… pic.twitter.com/s0USrAhn93
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 14, 2024
At the same time, his off-court mentality has also left a lot to be desired.
well if Kai Jones really is gone, then here’s a big THANK YOU to him
one of the very few reasons the end of last season was still fun
good luck @242_jones
pic.twitter.com/PG1tflMJvV
— All Things Mavs (@All_Things_Mavs) August 11, 2025
To be fair to McGee, he’s never been accused of having a psychotic break, like Jones. However, they both were characterized as players who were too immature to maximize their capabilities.
There’s A Chance
The work Jones has done over the past couple of years makes him a realistic rotation player.
After he attended therapy to fortify his mental state, he had respectable stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. He was particularly effective during his time with the Mavericks, as their center corps was decimated by injuries. In those 12 games, he not only played 21.7 minutes per contest but started in six. That stretch saw him averaging 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. Notably, he was a +9.5 in the games that he started, underscoring his impact.
If the Heat can get that version of the Bahamas native, Adebayo might as well consider himself a full-time four.
© Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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