Kel’el Ware Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Young Players, Jovic, Jaquez, Training Camp, Rozier

September 7th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

While winning the summer league championship was a boon for the Heat‘s development system, reality’s soon to set in on which of their pieces will actually be factors in the regular season rotation, Ira Winderman of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes. The Heat have differed in their approach to playing time for their young players over the years, taking a more patient approach to developing Bam Adebayo but inserting Jaime Jaquez into the rotation right away.

In Winderman’s view, Nikola Jovic and Jaquez will almost certainly be shouldering heavy minutes, while rookies Kel’el Ware and Pelle Larsson might take more time to break in to the rotation.

In a separate article, Winderman evaluates what to expect this season from Jovic, who averaged 9.5 points on .476/.390/.815 shooting after being named a full-time starter last year. As the Heat prepare for the possibility of life post-Jimmy Butler, Jovic is one of their key pieces moving forward.

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With Jovic and Jaquez both having their rookie-scale options picked up, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald evaluates the state of the future roster. The Heat currently have 10 players under contract for 2025/26 and that number would increase to 11 if Butler picks up his player option.
The Heat are holding training camp at Baha Mar in the Bahamas from Oct. 1-5, according to a team release. The club will travel following media day on Sept. 30 and the camp will not be available for public viewing.
Terry Rozier might benefit from having a full offseason to work with the Heat after being acquired at the trade deadline. Winderman writes in a mailbag that he isn’t sure it will have an impact on the guard’s role with the team. Rozier struggled in his first 10 games with the Heat, averaging 12.6 points and 35.9% shooting. However, he settled in and averaged 19.0 points on 45.2% shooting over his next 20 outings.

Southeast Notes: Magic, Adebayo, Ware, Lambert

August 24th, 2024 at 8:28am CST by Tristan Tucker

After tearing down the iteration of the team that featured the likes of Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon, the Magic are finally moving toward where they want to be in the league’s hierarchy, Keith Smith of Spotrac writes. Headlined by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, the Magic made the playoffs as the No. 5 seed. And while they didn’t necessarily go all-in this summer, they added an NBA champion and top-tier role player in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Banchero asserted recently that the Magic belong in the conversation about the East’s best teams. Assuming he, Wagner, Suggs and others continue to progress in linear fashion, that might be true. As Smith observes, the Magic don’t have a single untradable contract.

On the flip side of things, Orlando is still very young and added 2024 first-rounder Tristan Da Silva to a group of deep-bench reserves that also features Anthony Black and Jett Howard. While they aren’t necessarily on a two-timeline approach since their stars are all in their early 20s, the Magic continue to have intriguing upside for growth beyond their biggest names.

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The Heat‘s selection of center Kel’el Ware in this year’s draft could put the team in position to play Bam Adebayo at the power forward position more often. However, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel believes that Adebayo won’t push for such a move and would be content with any opportunity to simply expand his game. Adebayo shot 35.7% on 42 three-point attempts last season and could increase that volume this season.
In a separate, subscriber-only story, Winderman ponders whether Ware is ready for – or deserving of – regular minutes as a rookie. The No. 15 overall pick averaged 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in Summer League, but ultimately Miami will decide when he’s ready for responsibility at the NBA level. In my view, the Heat have done an excellent job in assessing which rookies have been ready to contribute right away. For example, Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez quickly established themselves as rotation pieces despite varying levels of college experience. On the other hand, the club took a more patient approach to Nikola Jovic‘s insertion into the lineup while he fleshed out his defensive game.
The Hornets are hiring Ryan Lambert as their director of amateur scouting, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Lambert was previously with the Thunder since 2012, working his way up to a senior amateur evaluation scout position last season.

Heat Notes: Herro, Ware, Larsson, Christopher

August 20th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Tristan Tucker

While the Heat didn’t make any splashy free agent moves this offseason, guard Tyler Herro still views the team as one the Eastern Conference’s best, Mat Issa of Forbes writes.

“I don’t see why not,” Herro said when asked if he viewed Miami as a contender. “We have everything we need.”

Herro was a critical part of the Heat’s NBA Finals appearance in 2020 as well as their push in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. While he played just one playoff game in the 2022/23 season, he averaged 20.1 points in the regular season for the team that went on to the Finals.

“I’m really excited for this season. Obviously, there are a lot of teams in the East that think they have externally improved. But I think we’ve improved internally,” Herro said. “It may look a little different, but we have young guys that we hope will continue to get better. Bam Adebayo and I are young guys who are starting to become full-fledged veterans in this league. Terry Rozier is healthy now and ready to compete. Then you have Jimmy Butler, who is extra motivated after not being able to play in the playoffs last season.”

The Heat bowed out of the playoffs last season to the Celtics, losing 4-1. The team was riddled with injuries up and down the roster, and Herro himself only appeared in 42 regular season games.

“We haven’t been healthy yet,” Herro said. “But we feel like when we do get healthy, we have a very deep team – a team that is deep enough to make a run in the East and ultimately win the NBA title.”

Herro said he’s trying to get stronger and continue to increase his scoring efficiency while upping his volume. Check out Issa’s full interview with Herro at the link above.

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An anonymous veteran coach and scout praised the Heat’s 2024 draft class, headlined by No. 15 overall pick Kel’el Ware, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “They got a steal with Ware,” the scout said. “Everyone questioned his motor at Oregon; nobody questioned the talent. And people are going to be disappointed they didn’t take him [before Miami selected him 15th].” Ware averaged 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in eight Summer League games.
Pelle Larsson, Miami’s second-round pick, averaged 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in Summer League action, looking like a player who could crack the rotation sooner rather than later. “[Larsson is] smart as heck. He just knows how to play. If Jaime Jaquez is a 10 on the know-how-to-play scale, this kid is right there with him,” the anonymous scout said, per Jackson. “He’s not as physically gifted as Jaquez, but he can shoot. And he’s got a great feel for the game.“
The Heat recently added Josh Christopher to their roster after he came away with Summer League MVP. The scout Jackson interviewed was also impressed by the former Rockets first rounder. “He can really score,” the scout said. “He played in some competitive summer league games and showed late in games that he could be a threat. From talking to people who have worked with him, it wasn’t like he balked at going to the G League. He took the challenge to learn how to distribute and become a better player in the G League when asked to do that. His defense can improve. He has the elements to make him a very switchable, tough defender. He doesn’t back down from a player he would have to switch on.“

Heat Notes: Hayward, Christopher, Ware, Larsson, Medal Winners

August 10th, 2024 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an interview with Dan Le Batard (video link), Gordon Hayward reveals that he gave serious consideration to joining the Heat before signing with Boston in 2017. Hayward, who announced his retirement last week, recalls being immediately attracted to Miami after meeting with team officials.

“I basically visited three teams,” he said. “I started with Miami, then did Boston, then finished with Utah, meeting with all those teams. I remember vividly telling my agent after each meeting, like I started with Miami, and I’m like, ‘I want to go to Miami. We don’t even need to do the other meetings.’ Miami is the place I want to be, and he kind of was like, ‘Well, we got to hear everyone out.’”

Hayward wound up accepting a four-year, $127.8MM offer from the Celtics, but he suffered a severe leg injury in his first game that affected the rest of his career. Even though Boston won the bidding war, Hayward never lost his affection for the Heat or the city.

“The Heat have always been a first-class organization, so I was really, really close to signing there,” he added. “I feel like (Erik Spoelstra) is one of the best coaches in the league, and obviously, Pat Riley is legendary in his own right. I was very close. Also, my brother-in-law lives in Miami. My wife would have loved living there and the beach and everything, but ultimately decided to go to Boston.”

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Josh Christopher is hoping to revive his career with the Heat after winning championship game MVP honors during the Las Vegas Summer League and signing a two-way contract. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald talked to an unidentified scout about the former first-round pick, who was stuck in the G League last season following two uninspiring years in Houston. “He can score. He’s still young. He’s got NBA talent,” the scout said. “You don’t write him off. If he’s going to play in the NBA, he’s going to have a much more limited role [than the shoot-first starring role in summer league]. Can he make threes at a reasonable rate and play within himself and not think he’s a star? He needs to be an off-ball guy. He needs to accept he’s a 3 and D guy. If there’s any role for him, it’s that.”
The scout was complimentary of the Heat’s two draft picks, Jackson adds. He sees first-rounder Kel’el Ware as possibly “this year’s Dereck Lively” due to his size and ability to block shots, and lists second-rounder Pelle Larsson‘s attributes as “high IQ, decent athlete, good body, can create a shot, can defend, competes.”
Today marked the first time that Heat teammates received medals for different nations in the same Olympics, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Bam Adebayo was part of gold-medal-winning Team USA, while Nikola Jovic picked up a bronze with Serbia.

Eastern Notes: Randle, Pistons, Raptors’ Camp, Ware

July 31st, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks re-signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year deal on Tuesday. The next order of business for the front office could be a contract extension for Julius Randle, but neither side is in a rush to get it done, according to Ian Begley of SNY TV (Twitter video link).

“I don’t believe it’s at the forefront for either party, so it would take a major shift in thinking on both sides to get an extension done,” Begley said.

Randle becomes extension-eligible on Saturday. The veteran forward, who is coming off shoulder surgery, will be eligible for an extension of up to four years and $181.5MM. Randle has two years left on his current contract, which includes a $30.9MM option for the 2025/26 season.

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The Pistons’ offense should improve significantly during the upcoming season with the additions of Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley. However, they won’t make any real progress unless they show dramatic improvement defensively, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes. New coach J.B. Bickerstaff asserted that defensive development will be a high priority. “Most of the time, people only care about the offensive development, right? They spend all their time working on step-back shots, between-the-legs and all that, but they don’t spend any time working on rotations or being in the proper spots. That is something we’re going to really, really handle,” he said recently.
The Raptors will hold their first week of training camp in Montreal, according to a team press release. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve trained in the city. They’ll wrap up their week in Montreal with a preseason opener against the Wizards on Oct. 6.
The knocks against Kel’el Ware entering the draft were related to his effort and focus, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang notes. Those supposed negatives certainly weren’t evident during the Heat‘s Las Vegas Summer League title run as Ware, a mid-first round pick, was named to the First Team while averaging 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, and 1.5 blocks per game. What did Ware learn from his college experiences? “That there’s always more in the tank,” he said. “That I can always push past it and to always give more because it’s never really where my skill set stops at. There’s always more that I can improve and more that I can put on the floor to be able to perform better.”

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Ware, Larsson, Christopher

July 28th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Bam Adebayo has a chance to become the first player ever to win multiple Olympic gold medals as a member of the Heat, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo, who was the starting center for Team USA three years ago in Tokyo, is coming off the bench this time around. He has teamed with Anthony Davis as part of a successful double-big combination during exhibition play.

“I’m not there to go get 30 points,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, we have enough people out there to get 30. But my role is bigger than that. Just being one of the leaders, being one of the guys who over-communicates, the defensive anchor and being able to put guys in the right positions where they can be successful.”

Adebayo’s future in Miami is secure after signing a three-year max extension this summer, Chiang adds. He’s already among the franchise leaders in career points, assists and steals and he’s on pace to eventually pass Udonis Haslem as the Heat’s top all-time rebounder.

“Going into year eight, you think about how fast it goes,” Adebayo said. “Every year, I just sit there and reflect about where I started when I got drafted to being a potential two-time Olympic [gold medalist] and being able to have a chance to defend the gold. It really puts it in perspective for me and just being blessed to have these opportunities.”

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First-round pick Kel’el Ware was one of the stars of the Las Vegas Summer League, earning first-team honors while helping Miami capture the title, Chiang states in a separate story. The rookie center was dominant around the rim, averaging 18 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 61.8% from the field. Ware believes he can be effective playing alongside Adebayo instead of just being his backup. “Me and Bam can definitely play beside each other because we complement each other so well,” he said. “His position is really the four and so me coming in as the five man, I can protect the paint and just being able to do what I always do.”
Pelle Larsson shot 42.7% from three-point range last season at Arizona, but the Heat view him as more than just a long-distance marksman, Chiang adds in another piece. His talents as a ball-handler and defender were also on display during Summer League. “I think it could be a misconception if you just look at the stats and you see 40% from three,” Larsson said. “But if you actually watch film and look into the games, you can see that being a well-rounded defender on and off the ball is kind of my strength and just playing within the team. By playing within the team and playing with good players, they’re going to find you for open shots and you’re going to get advantages just from that.”
After his breakout performance at Summer League, Josh Christopher urged the NBA to get serious about expansion, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. A first-round pick in 2021, Christopher was stuck in the G League all of last season. “It’s time for a couple of expansion teams, man. Come on NBA,” he said. “I know I’m one of the little fish in the sea, but come one, it’s time for more teams, with so much talent in the G League. Honestly, it’s the second-best league in the world, if you ask me.”

Heat Notes: Summer League, Christoper, Larsson, Ware

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat won the Las Vegas Summer League championship with a dramatic 120-118 overtime victory over the Grizzlies on Monday. The Heat won all six of their games in Vegas, plus the last two in the California Classic. Second-rounder Pelle Larsson made the game-winning shot.

“By the end of this (Monday), a lot of us coaches, we were really hoping that it wouldn’t be over,” Summer League coach Dan Bisaccio said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “Obviously, yes the priority is we want to win the championship. But at the same time, this journey that we were on with this group was amazing. It was something truly special.

“I understand this is summer league. But the fact that these guys came together as a group like that, they kind of put aside their individual goals for the better of the team. I just think that speaks volumes to who they are and what their character is.”

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The team has 14 players on standard contracts and don’t plan to add a 15th player until later in the regular season due to tax apron concerns. They also have all three two-way slots filled. Those two-way spots could change — they don’t count against the cap — in the aftermath of Summer League performances. Josh Christopher, Caleb Daniels, Cole Swider and Alondes Williams — all of whom are free agents at the moment — made compelling cases to receive a two-way deal or at least a training camp invite, according to Chiang.
Speaking of Christopher, he was named Most Valuable Player of the championship game, Chiang tweets. The former first-round pick scored a team-high 24 points, including six 3-pointers. He also added four rebounds, one assist, three steals and two blocks. “I think this Heat culture thing just brought the best out of me. I don’t think I’ve had a series of games better than this in my life, honestly,” Christopher said.
Larsson signed a three-year contract prior to summer competition and impressed the coaches in a number of ways, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He’s a tireless worker,” Bisaccio said. “He’s a great leader on the floor and he’s just got a really good disposition and he’s a man of a craft, is the word I’m looking for. Behind the scenes, he’s always trying to work on his shot. He’s always trying to find that new angle that he can give you, that extra detail on a pick and roll.”
First-round pick Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez and Keshad Johnson earned A grades on Winderman’s Summer League report card.

Nets’ Jalen Wilson Named Summer League MVP

July 22nd, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets forward Jalen Wilson has been named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, the league’s communications department tweets.

Wilson averaged 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals while shooting 47.3% from the field and 55.0% from 3-point range in five games in Vegas.

His performances should solidify his spot on the team’s roster this upcoming season. The 23-year-old has a $1.89MM minimum-salary contract for 2024/25 that is currently just partially guaranteed for $75K. It increases to a partial guarantee of $325K if he makes the opening night roster.

Oddly, Wilson was only named to the All-Summer League Second Team. The First Team included the Grizzlies‘ GG Jackson II and Scotty Pippen Jr,, the Clippers‘ Jordan Miller, the Rockets‘ Reed Sheppard and the Heat‘s Kel’el Ware.

The Grizzlies and Heat reached the Summer League championship game. Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in last month’s draft, averaged 20.0 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals in four Las Vegas outings.

Along with Wilson, the Second Team included the Wizards‘ Carlton Carrington, the Trail Blazers‘ Donovan Clingan, the Heat‘s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Pacers‘ Jarace Walker (Twitter links).

Heat, Grizzlies To Meet For Las Vegas Summer League Title

July 22nd, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Summer League action will come to an end on Monday night as the Heat and Grizzlies battle for the championship in Las Vegas. Both teams have compiled 5-0 records in Vegas, and both reached the finals with narrow wins on Sunday.

Miami edged the Warriors, 102-99, using a late 27-11 run to erase a 10-point third quarter deficit, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The victory avenged a 39-point loss to Golden State in the California Classic.

“We always want to win,” said Heat Summer League head coach Dan Bisaccio. “So no matter what, when we have an opportunity to win a championship, of course we’re going for it. It doesn’t matter if it’s Summer League, it doesn’t matter if it’s some kind of spring ball. Whatever it is, we’re always going to want an opportunity to compete for a championship.”

Free agent guard Josh Christopher had 23 points to lead Miami, with 13 of those coming in the fourth quarter. First-round pick Kel’el Ware contributed 18 points and five rebounds, while second-rounder Pelle Larsson filled the stat sheet with 21 points, four rebounds, six assists and four steals.

The shorthanded Grizzlies were missing Jake LaRavia, Cam Spencer and Zach Edey due to injuries, but they were able to edge the Clippers, 99-98, per Josh Crawford of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Second-round pick Jaylen Wells was 6-of-7 from three-point range while scoring 20 points, and 2023 second-rounder GG Jackson also had 20 points. Scotty Pippen Jr., who joined Memphis on a two-way deal in January, posted a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

LaRavia was held out of Sunday’s game due to lingering knee soreness, Crawford adds, while Spencer and Edey were both inactive after leaving Thursday’s contest with minor injuries. None of them are expected to play tonight, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel.

Memphis will be trying to win its first Las Vegas Summer League title since 2019 when Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke were rookies. This is the first appearance in the Summer League title game for Miami.

Southeast Notes: Smith, Ware, Sarr, Black

July 18th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Dru Smith has been waived four times by the Heat during his NBA career. However, they keep coming back to him, the latest example being this summer, when they signed the guard to a two-way contract.

“The way this organization has treated me, it’s unbelievable,” Smith said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I’m very appreciative of it. At the same time, I’m going to go out there and do everything I can for them, as well. I think the love is reciprocated both ways, which I really appreciate. I just want to continue to get back healthy and then be able to get back out there for this team.”

Smith underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in his right knee, an injury he suffered in November. He’s hopeful that he can return by training camp.

“I think it’s very feasible,” he said. “But you never know, these things are day by day. So as long as everything goes smoothly, I think that’s kind of the plan. But like I said, it’s always up in the air. We just got to make sure everything is going right.”

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Heat first-rounder Kel’el Ware continues to excel in Summer League action. The former Indiana University center had 24 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday, his third double-double this summer. He also contributed two fourth-quarter blocks. “We continue to challenge him defensively,” Summer League coach Dan Bisaccio told Chiang. “He took that challenge. Everything at the rim was contested. We want to continue to see that. Obviously, this is never enough. But we’re really, really happy with him anchoring our defense.”
Wizards big man Alex Sarr, the second pick in the draft, missed all 15 of his shot attempts in Wednesday’s Summer League game against Portland, ESPN notes. That included seven 3-point tries and he also missed two free throws. He did have nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks in just under 30 minutes. Sarr has shot below 35% in all three of his games in Las Vegas and is shooting 19.5% from the field overall. Sarr spoke to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina about his goals for his rookie season, including his desire to make an impact at both ends of the floor.
Magic guard Anthony Black didn’t play in Wednesday’s Summer League contest due to a mild ankle sprain, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. He’s averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in two games this month.