Kel’el Ware

Southeast Notes: Ball, Adebayo, Ware, Herro, Hawks

January 20th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LaMelo Ball leads the Eastern Conference All-Star voting among guards despite the Hornets‘ poor record (11-28). However, Ball has stepped up his game, particularly on defense, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes.

Ball had 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Charlotte’s victory over Dallas on Monday afternoon.

“His two-way play has really helped us,” coach Charles Lee said. “We’ve made an effort to play with more pace offensively. I think the whole squad has really bought into that and he’s really the head of the snake when it comes to pace, and his attack and willingness to either go finish in the attack or collapse the defense and kick out for some early opportunities.

“And then defensively, he’s denying (Kyrie) Irving at the end of the game, being more physical. I feel like in our transition defense, we are having a lot more communication and urgency to get back. So, just really impressed with his two-way game and not trying to be offensively focused.”

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The pairing of Bam Adebayo and rookie Kel’el Ware gave the Heat a “dynamic” new look, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. At the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, the Heat went on a 36-13 run against San Antonio on Sunday with the two bigs playing together. “Right now, defensively that just looked like it was elite,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “So if I have to lean into this thing defensively right now for our team to get to another level, I will. That could be a path and we’ll dive into this. But that looks like a path where we can find some higher success, at least on one side of the floor.”
Tyler Herro is averaging career bests in points, rebounds and assists and the Heat wing is drawing extra defensive attention. Lakers coach JJ Redick says the Herro needs to be guarded like Stephen Curry. Adebayo said it’s a learning experience for Herro, Chiang writes. “He is the focal point of a lot of scouting reports,” he said. “So for us, it’s understanding that he’s got to play kind of like Steph. He might not get the ball, but go set a screen, go screen somebody. That’s how you get yourself open. Me and him had that conversation during the (Spurs) game. He was like, ‘Man, what am I supposed to do?’ I was like, ‘Just go screen for somebody.’ Literally if they’re face-guarding you, just go screen for somebody. Somebody is going to be open.”
The Hawks have the East’s fourth-best record in large part because they’re handling adversity better, according to Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. They have a 6-2 record against the teams above them in the conference standings. “Your hope is when you find adversity in the game, because it comes in a lot of different forms that that can bring you together and you can raise your level, as opposed to it splitting you apart,” coach Quin Snyder said.

Heat Notes: Butler, Young Core, Adebayo, Rozier, Richardson

January 16th, 2025 at 8:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Despite the fact that Heat star Jimmy Butler reportedly made it clear he no longer wants to play for the franchise, he may suit up for Miami on Friday, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Butler is eligible to return against Denver from his team-issued suspension and was not listed on Thursday’s injury report.

The six-time All-Star was expected to meet with Arison and CEO Nick Arison on Thursday afternoon to discuss a path forward.

As has been reported, there has been little progress on a potential trade. The Heat would prefer to get a trade done sooner rather than later but will only accept a deal that will help the team both now and moving forward.

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Miami went 3-4 during Butler’s suspension, including three consecutive wins against the Warriors, Jazz and Trail Blazers. The most promising aspect of the trip, The Athletic’s James Jackson writes, is the fact that Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Nikola Jovic all showed promise. Ware continues to play a larger role as the season goes on. Teammate Tyler Herro expressed optimism about what he saw from those players during the stretch. “Ups and downs with a young player are normal,” Herro said. “I went through it myself. I think that’s the hardest thing: just finding consistency night in and night out. That’s a challenge for any young player. I think getting the reps every night is ultimately what young guys need, to be able to continue to get better and go through ups and downs, play through mistakes. But they’re all playing very well. You can see how good they can be, and I’m really excited for them.“
Ware and Jovic have looked particularly good coming off the bench for Miami, often assisting on each other’s makes, Chiang observes in a separate story. On the other hand, Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier remain off the mark offensively, with Adebayo shooting a career-low from the field and Rozier shooting his lowest since the 2018/19 season.
Despite being active earlier this month and looking like he was on track to return soon, Josh Richardson went home from the team’s West Coast road trip early for an MRI on his heel. Richardson was ruled out due to that heel issue, according to the team (Twitter link). It’s unknown at this time when Richardson will be able to return or what the results of the MRI were.

Heat Notes: Butler, Adebayo, Love, Ware, Richardson

January 14th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

It seems increasingly likely that Jimmy Butler will be rejoining the Heat when they return from their six-game road trip, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Butler, who is nearing the end of his suspension, has been working out at the team facility and is expected to return to the court on Friday if he’s still on the roster.

Team officials have been hoping to resolve the situation with a trade, but they reportedly haven’t made much progress. A source tells Chiang that Miami has engaged in trade talks with several teams over the past week, but isn’t close to making a deal.

In his latest Substack column (subscriber-only), Jake Fischer dives into some of the “conduct detrimental to the team” that the Heat cited when they imposed Butler’s suspension. League sources tell Fischer that Butler has skipped several morning shootarounds and has insisted on taking private flights to some games rather than traveling on the charter with his teammates.

In addition to not getting the contract extension that he wanted, Butler’s dissatisfaction may stem from the loss of several players whom he considered to be close friends, Fischer theorizes. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin, who were starters on the team that reached the NBA Finals in 2023, all left in free agency over the past two offseasons.

“Those were [Butler’s] guys,” a source told Fischer.

Miami isn’t willing to move Butler just to get rid of a problem, adds Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. The front office is focused on finding players who can help the team win this season while taking back as little future salary as possible. The organization wants to rebuild around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro without being burdened by another large contract.

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Adebayo was a late scratch for Monday’s game due to a lower back contusion, Chiang states in a separate story. He had been expected to play earlier in the day, but he was downgraded to questionable during the afternoon before being ruled out a few hours before game time. Adebayo was hurt Saturday in Portland when he fell to the court while trying to catch a pass. “He’s been dealing with it for a few days,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s getting a lot of treatment and it kind of seized up on him this morning. But we’ll treat him day to day and we’ll reevaluate him.”
With Adebayo unavailable, Spoelstra gave the start to Kevin Love, who had appeared in just one of the previous 12 games, Chiang adds. Love made three three-pointers in the first seven minutes Monday night, but didn’t score again, finishing with nine points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Most of the center minutes went to rookie Kel’el Ware, who had 13 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter and now seems like an established part of the rotation. “Kel’el has been playing really well,” Spoelstra said. “And he had a very good game tonight. … He’s making progress. It seems to be every day that he’s learning something new.”
Josh Richardson has returned to Miami to have an MRI on his heel and will miss the final game of the road trip Wednesday against the Lakers, the Heat announced (via Twitter). Richardson hasn’t appeared in a game since November 18.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Love, Mann, Champagnie

December 30th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat forward Jimmy Butler is expected to practice on Tuesday and return to action on Wednesday against the Pelicans, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang reports. Butler has missed the last five games after battling a flu-like illness.

Miami president Pat Riley issued a statement last week that he wasn’t going to trade Butler, who holds a $52.4MM player option on next year’s contract. Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season.

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Kevin Love has fallen out of the rotation as the Heat coaching staff takes a long look at rookie Kel’el Ware as the backup center. Love says he’s staying ready for whenever he’s needed. “I know I still have good basketball ahead of me,” he said, per Chiang. “I don’t think I’m an 82-game guy anymore. But certainly, just help wherever the team needs me, whether that’s on the court or away from the court.”
Hornets guard Tre Mann has continued rehabilitation for disc irritation and has increased the intensity of his on-court work and individual workouts, the team’s PR department tweets. He will be reevaluated in two weeks. Mann, who hasn’t played since Nov. 21, is averaging 14.1 points and 3.0 assists in 13 games off the bench. He’ll be eligible for restricted free agency during the 2025 offseason.
The Knicks and Wizards are playing each other again tonight after New York pulled out a four-point overtime victory on Saturday night. Justin Champagnie, who is on a two-way contract, had a breakout game on Saturday with a career-best 31 points. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to show what I can do for a while. … When I get on the floor, I just let it flow,” he told Varun Shankar of the Washington Post.

Heat Notes: Ware, Butler, Christopher, Adebayo

December 23rd, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kel’el Ware was impressive on Saturday night in his first game action in nearly a month, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. With Kevin Love unavailable for personal reasons, the rookie center came off the Heat bench to deliver eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 14 minutes. Coach Erik Spoelstra said the performance was a result of the work Ware has been putting in since the start of training camp.

“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.”

One good game won’t guarantee more playing time for Ware, but there’s a greater opportunity after Miami traded backup center Thomas Bryant to Indiana. While Ware has a large learning curve as a 20-year-old on a veteran team, Chiang notes that he has impressed his teammates with his approach to the game.

“He has really fit in with us well because he just continues to work hard,” Love said. “He listens to every single one of us, he wants to apply things that are taught to him both on and off the floor. He has really just continued to chase the game.”

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It’s appearing more likely that Jimmy Butler will finish out the season in Miami, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. Talking with NBA executives at the G League Showcase, Marks cited a “growing consensus” that the Heat will hold onto Butler past the deadline unless he becomes a distraction or they receive an offer that’s too good to pass up.
Josh Christopher hasn’t gotten into an NBA game since signing a two-way contract with the Heat, but he’s already competed for championships during Summer League and at the G League Showcase, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Christopher scored 31 points on Sunday, his 13th straight game of 20 or more, as Sioux Falls fell to Westchester. That came after leading the Summer League team to a title in Las Vegas. “Just trying to be a sponge and not take the opportunity for granted,” Christopher said, “but just take advantage of it and learn as much as I can, and use the minutes as an opportunity just to grow and help win ball games.”
The Heat are still reeling after letting a late 22-point lead slip away in Saturday’s game at Orlando, Chiang adds in a separate story. Miami was outscored 37-8 in the fourth quarter while suffering its most frustrating loss of the season. “I feel like we relaxed because we were up,” Bam Adebayo said. “I feel like that’s the karma of the game. You relax and then you let a team get hot, and then it goes the other way and you’re trying to fight back.”

Southeast Notes: Ware, Butler, Heat, Bagley, Brogdon, Da Silva

December 5th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Heat are giving No. 15 overall pick Kel’el Ware an opportunity for playing time by having sent him to the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. The big man made his G League debut on Thursday, securing 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a win. Instead of having him bounce back and forth between the developmental team and Miami, the Heat are hoping to have Ware play in three-game stints for Sioux Falls, according to The Athletic’s James Jackson.

According to Jackson, the Heat are impressed by Ware’s progress and his mental fortitude as he develops and learns the system. The Heat are seeing success with two-big lineups featuring Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love, so there’s no rush to force the rookie into unfamiliar situations. He has gotten some minutes against the likes of Nikola Jokic, but his spot in the rotation has been inconsistent.

“It’s all valuable, even when he’s with us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But the next logical thing is trying to get him some time — get him some game minutes and see how he can impact winning. But I’m encouraged by the work he’s been putting in.”

The Heat remain confident Ware will become a rotation regular at some point, even if doesn’t happen this season, Jackson writes.

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After missing Monday’s game to the Celtics due to knee soreness, Jimmy Butler returned for the Heat on Wednesday to help lead them to victory. According to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, Butler looked sharp in the victory, filling up the stat sheet in a blowout win over the Lakers. “He passed all the protocols, he wants to be out there, we want to get him out there and the trainers felt that he made enough progress the last two days,” Spoelstra said of getting Butler back on Wednesday. “While we were still in Boston, he was around the clock in the training room doing as much treatment as he possibly could.“
At 10-10, the Heat have had a middling season so far. They were blown out on Monday by Boston but dominated Los Angeles on Wednesday. They set franchise records in assists (42) and tied for most threes in a game (24) in the win over the Lakers. Even through consistency questions, the Heat’s identity is coming to light, Chiang writes in a separate piece. Leaning on their defensive strengths and playing through Butler are two major tenets for Miami, as in most recent seasons.
The Wizards are 2-18 this season, leaving head coach Brian Keefe searching for answers to help make the team more competitive. The team moved Marvin Bagley into the starting lineup on Thursday (Twitter link). Bagley finished with a team-high 16 points in a blowout loss, while Jonas Valanciunas played a season-low 13 minutes off the bench.
Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon, who has started all but one of his nine appearances this season, exited Thursday’s game with hamstring tightness and didn’t return (Twitter link). Brogdon is averaging 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 51.3% from the field this season. The Wizards next play a back-to-back at home against the Nuggets on Saturday and Grizzlies on Sunday. Their 16th straight loss on Thursday matched a franchise record.
Tristan Da Silva continues to play a pivotal role on the 16-8 Magic, filling in as a part-time starter while Paolo Banchero is out. Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes in a subscriber-only story that Da Silva’s play is drawing praise from up and down the organization. This year’s 18th overall pick is averaging 7.5 points and 3.7 assists per game while starting in 14 of his 20 appearances.

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Ware, Wizards, Williams

December 4th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, acquired as part of Atlanta’s blockbuster trade that shipped Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans, put the defensive clamps on Murray during the former Hawk’s first game against his old team, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Murray was limited to shooting just 2-of-15 from the field against the Hawks on Monday, while Daniels notched 19 points on 50% field goal shooting.

Murray was the subject of frequent boos from the Atlanta home crowd, and couldn’t get much offense cooking against Daniels. Daniels has emerged as the defense-first backcourt partner for Trae Young that the Hawks had hoped Murray would be when they first acquired him from the Spurs in 2022.

The 21-year-old Daniels is in the third season of his rookie-scale deal, and seems to be fitting in nicely with his new squad. So far this year, the 6’8″ guard is averaging a career-best 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per night.

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The Heat sent rookie center Kel’el Ware to their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this week for the first time this season, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Ware has played a grand total of 69 minutes across Miami’s first 20 contests this year, so his stint with the Skyforce will give him a chance for increased reps. The seven-footer was selected with the No. 15 pick out of Indiana.
The Wizards‘ epic losing streak has reached 15 games, approaching the team’s franchise record, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Washington tied that record, 16 straight defeats, just last season. The Wizards could potentially match or even break that tally in the coming days. Washington next plays Dallas (Thursday), Denver (Saturday), and Memphis (Sunday), all Western Conference squads with winning records.
Hornets center Mark Williams suited up for his first game in almost a year, a 110-104 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. Williams had been sidelined with a lingering strained tendon in his left foot this fall after missing most of last season due to a back issue. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes that the big moment signified a positive step forward for the young center. Notching just nine minutes of action, the seven-foot big man scored four points on 1-of-4 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 shooting from the foul line. He also pulled down three rebounds and blocked one shot.

Heat Notes: Rozier, NBA Cup, Ware, Larsson, Love

November 27th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Terry Rozier returned Tuesday after missing two games with discomfort in his right foot, but he wasn’t in his usual spot in the Heat‘s starting lineup, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier came off the bench for the first time this season, and just the second time since being acquired in a trade with Charlotte midway through last season. After scoring 17 points in 21 minutes in a loss to Milwaukee, Rozier said he’s willing to accept the new role.

“It’s who finishes the game. It ain’t who starts,” he said. “I think a lot of people want to start in this league. I’ve started for a while, and it’s not final. Like coach said, it’s nothing against me. It’s just trying something new and I’m going to roll with it. It’s a little adjustment that I’m willing to make as long as coach needs me to.”

Miami won both games when Rozier was sidelined while using a new starting lineup with Duncan Robinson joining Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo. Coach Erik Spoelstra has decided to keep that unit intact, even though Chiang points out that it has been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game stretch.

“I feel for Terry because, well one, he got hurt. And we’re at the beginning of a season right now where we’re searching,” Spoelstra said. “So the starting lineup is not an indictment at all on him. We had something that worked for two games. So, of course, we’re going to stick with that right now because we’re not where we want to be.”

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Tuesday’s loss virtually eliminates any chance of the Heat advancing in the NBA Cup, Chiang adds in a separate story. Miami is now 1-2 in the tournament and would need a lot of help to move on, even with a victory Friday against Toronto. “It’s disappointing,” Spoelstra said. “… We wanted to be there in Vegas.”
Despite the loss, there were some encouraging signs from the team’s 2024 draft selections, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. First-round pick Kel’el Ware and second-rounder Pelle Larsson were both on the court during a fourth quarter rally that nearly erased a 22-point deficit. Larsson played 22 minutes off the bench, the most of any Heat reserve, while scoring eight points, and Ware posted a +11 plus-minus rating in roughly nine minutes of action. “I like both of their processes right now,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve committed to all the player development. They don’t look at us crazy, with what we have on their schedule every single day. Pelle’s been getting the minutes, so he’s been able to show that to everybody else. But Kel’el’s been doing that behind the scenes, so he’s been showing the staff and his teammates.”
Kevin Love is missing his ninth game of the season tonight after being held out of the second half of Tuesday’s contest with back spasms, Winderman adds in the same piece. Love’s first eight absences were due to a personal matter.

Heat Notes: Butler, Rozier, Jaquez, Richardson, Ware, Burks, Herro

November 23rd, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After a four-game absence due to an ankle sprain, Heat star Jimmy Butler had his best game of the fall in his return to action on Monday, registering season highs in points (30) and rebounds (10) as Miami outscored Philadelphia by 29 points in his 34 minutes of action.

However, Butler may not get an opportunity to build on that momentum when the team resumes its schedule on Sunday vs. Dallas following a five-day layoff. The veteran forward is listed as questionable to play vs. the Mavericks due to an illness, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

While Butler’s status is up in the air, there’s good news elsewhere on the Heat’s injury report, according to Chiang, who says Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Jaime Jaquez (sprained right ankle) are both expected to play on Sunday. Rozier is listed as probable, while Jaquez is considered available. Josh Richardson, who missed Thursday’s practice due to heel pain, isn’t on the injury report either and should be good to go.

Here’s more out of Miami:

Should the Heat regret drafting Kel’el Ware with the No. 15 pick in this year’s draft, given that Jared McCain (No. 16) and Dalton Knecht (No. 17) have been the most impressive rookies in the NBA so far this season? Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel considers that question, explaining the thinking behind Miami’s selection of Ware. It’s possible the decision to pick Ware will become a draft-day regret reminiscent of when the Heat took Precious Achiuwa a spot ahead of Tyrese Maxey in 2020, Winderman acknowledges. However, he stresses that it’s far too early to pass judgment on the 20-year-old center, who has logged just 48 minutes across eight outings.
Alec Burks, who is on his eighth NBA team, has seen his role fluctuate frequently in recent seasons, so he was unfazed by sitting out for five games in a row and then playing nearly 19 minutes in Monday’s win over the Sixers, as Winderman details for The Sun Sentinel. Burks was a plus-27 with seven points, six rebounds, and three assists in his return to the rotation. “He’s such a great example for young players coming in to always be ready, to be prepared, to understand what the system is and understand how you can bring value,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And then not get caught up in all the emotional wild swings of maybe your playing time isn’t going exactly how you want it, or when you’re not getting the offensive opportunities you want. … He’s a pro’s pro. And that gets thrown around often, but when you actually experience it and see it, you really appreciate it.”
Tyler Herro‘s 24.2 points and 5.2 assists per game are career highs. Perhaps more importantly, so are his 48.6% field goal percentage and 45.2% three-point percentage, which are both way above his career rates. Herro’s scoring efficiency has been “a really big thing” for him and the Heat, according to Spoelstra. “You always want to get to a place like this as a player where you’re playing such efficient basketball that there’s an economy of energy that’s happening at the same time,” the Heat head coach said, per Chiang. “He’s not forcing it, he’s not like over-expending energy to do it. He’s just reading the game, reading defenses. He has a confidence level that continues to grow each year, so he knows what he can do, he knows how he can help us.”

Heat Notes: Martin, Butler, Rozier, Jaquez, Ware

November 18th, 2024 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers forward Caleb Martin said his return to Miami has been “bittersweet, for sure,” per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Martin has been in Miami since the weekend as the 76ers had a couple days off before facing Miami on Monday. The 29-year-old spent the past three seasons with the Heat before signing a four-year, $35MM+ deal with Philadelphia as a free agent over the offseason.

“Obviously, I had a lot of great memories here, unforgettable memories,” Martin said. “I still got lifelong relationships that I still have with guys. This is my second home.”

As Chiang writes, Martin confirmed previous reporting that he declined an extension offer from Miami that was contingent upon him picking up his 2024/25 player option worth $7.1MM. Martin would have received an additional $58MM over four years on top of that option, putting the total value at $65MM over five years.

The tricky part was the timing — Martin had to make a decision on picking up his option by June 29, the day before free agents could negotiate with rival teams. His representation thought he could get more money in free agency, which didn’t materialize. But he doesn’t fault his agent for how things played out.

“Nobody has a crystal ball,” Martin said. “At the end of the day, nothing gets approved without me giving the OK, ultimately. That’s stuff that you live and you learn. Obviously, it hurts because of all the memories and everything that comes with this and there’s obviously money left on the table. But I think there are also other aspects of the decision and how things shook out that was a good thing, and that I might have had to move on.”

Martin, who was undrafted in 2019 and was released by Charlotte before catching on with the Heat on a two-way deal three years ago, said he tries to keep things in perspective, since he still signed the most lucrative contract of his career.

“I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at and still have another guaranteed four years in this league, which is hard,” said Martin. “Coming from where I come from, if you would have told me I had a guaranteed nine years in the league, I would have never believed you. Regardless, I’m blessed. I’m very blessed to still be competing at a high level.

“I do feel like I’m in a very good spot. I feel like I would have been in a good place regardless. I would have loved to have come back and made that work, as well. It’s nothing personal against [the Heat]. I have nothing but love for them.”

Here are a few more notes from Miami:

Star forward Jimmy Butler will return to action on Monday after missing the past four games with a right ankle sprain, the team announced (via Twitter). Butler, 35, could be a free agent in 2025 if he declines his $52.4MM player option for next season. If you count the game he was injured (he played fewer than seven minutes), the Heat went 2-3 in Butler’s absence.
While it’s obviously welcome news that Butler will be back tonight, the Heat will be without two rotation regulars in Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Jaime Jaquez, according to the the team. As Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, Jaquez suffered a right ankle sprain at the end of the third quarter in Sunday’s loss to Indiana. The second-year forward had an X-ray, which came back negative. “That’s one of the craziest ones,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jaquez’s injury. “He just happened to be backpedaling back and stepped on (T.J.) McConnell’s foot. He says he’s fine. There’s no way to know with sprained ankles. We’ll find out when we get back to Miami.”
First-round pick Kel’el Ware hasn’t gotten many opportunities for playing time to this point in his rookie season, but he’s embracing the team’s development plan and is trying to soak up as much knowledge as he can, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “I really like the way he’s developed,” Spoelstra said. “He’s embraced us and the structure. He’s responded well to it. He’s already responded very well in the weight room, gotten a lot stronger and then he’s just been diligent, working. Is it going to be perfect? You know, no. He still has a lot of things to learn and figure out where he can be most effective in his role. But if he continues to stack days with intention the way he has been, he’s going to improve very quickly.”

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