Ware racked up 14 points (4-13 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 4-5 FT), nine rebounds and one assist over 27 minutes during Tuesday's 144-117 win over the Hornets.
For the second time this season, Ware finished one rebound shy of a double-double. His role continues to trend up as coach Erik Spoelstra is seemingly content with him playing alongside Bam Adebayo. Through four games, Ware is on pace for 11th-round fantasy value in nine-category formats with averages of 11.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in 21.2 minutes.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Flirts with double-double in start
Rotowire
Ware ended with 19 points (8-12 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal over 23 minutes during Friday's 146-114 victory over Memphis.
Ware moved back into the starting lineup, falling one rebound short of a double-double. While this was an encouraging performance, it could have been even better had the game been remotely close. It appears as though the Heat's starting lineup could differ from one night to the next, depending on the opponent. With that said, Ware should be able to do enough, whether starting or coming off the bench, to maintain fantasy value, even in standard leagues.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Will start vs. Memphis
Rotowire
Ware will be in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Grizzlies.
Ware played only 14 minutes off the bench during the team's season opener against the Magic and didn't make much of an impact during that short time on the floor. He'll be joined by Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo in the first five.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Eased back into action Wednesday
Rotowire
Ware (neck/ankle) racked up seven points (3-5 FG, 1-2 3Pt), four rebounds, one block and one steal over 14 minutes during Wednesday's 125-121 loss to Orlando.
While Ware was able to play through neck spasms and an ankle sprain, the Heat decided to ease him back into the lineup by deploying him from the bench. Nikola Jovic started at power forward in his place, but the former scored just nine points in 23 minutes of action. Ware was a popular breakout candidate for 2025-26 after a strong rookie campaign, and it shouldn't be long before he supplants Jovic in Miami's first unit.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Cleared to play Wednesday
Rotowire
Ware (ankle) is available for Wednesday's season opener against the Magic, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
A sprained ankle won't be enough to keep Ware from playing Wednesday. The second-year big man wouldn't figure to have a noticeable minutes restriction, but he will come off the bench, with Nikola Jovic starting at power forward. Last regular season, Ware averaged 10.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest in 36 games as a starter during his rookie campaign.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Dealing with neck spasms
Rotowire
Ware didn't practice Monday due to neck spasms, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
It doesn't sound like a significant issue, though it's enough to leave Ware's status in the dark for Wednesday's season opener against the Magic. If he can't play, it's possible Jaime Jaquez will be needed to make a spot start.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Keeps rolling in preseason
Rotowire
Ware generated 29 points (12-19 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block across 26 minutes of Wednesday's 112-107 preseason loss to San Antonio.
Ware has come off the bench in each of Miami's three preseason games, with Nikola Jovic and Bam Adebayo filling the starting power forward and center slots. Despite his role with the second unit, Ware has been dominant. He's averaging 19.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. The 21-year-old started in 36 of 64 regular-season games as a rookie last season.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Team option picked up
Rotowire
Miami exercised its 2026-27 team option for Ware on Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
This was simply a formality for Miami. Ware, who was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2024-25, has shown that he can be a long-term building block for the franchise. Ware is expected to start alongside Bam Adebayo this season after thriving in that role last season.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Shut down for rest of Summer League
Rotowire
Ware (not injury related) won't play another game in the Las Vegas Summer League, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
Following an impressive double-double performance in Monday's win against the Celtics, Ware's stint in the Las Vegas Summer League has come to an end. The Indiana product put up some strong performances during his time in Las Vegas, showcasing why he's a rising star in the NBA with a potentially bright future ahead.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Strong performance in SL loss
Rotowire
Ware logged 21 points (8-14 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-5 FT), nine rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 27 minutes during Sunday's 92-72 loss to the Cavaliers.
Ware was a bright spot for Miami in their loss Sunday, logging game-highs in scoring and blocks while leading his team in rebounding. Ware is the focal point for the Heat during Summer League, and Sunday was a great performance following a mediocre first game in Las Vegas, where he logged 10 points, six rebounds, one steal and a block while holding the team's lowest plus-minus at -21.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Will play in Summer League opener
Rotowire
Ware (rest) has been cleared to play in Friday's Summer League game against the Hawks, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
After resting during the final game of the California Classic, Ware will make his return to the floor to get the Summer League underway in Las Vegas. The rising star finished with 12 points, three rebounds and one block in his last outing against the Warriors.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Won't play Tuesday
Rotowire
Ware (rest) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Summer League game against the Warriors, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
Ware will rest Tuesday after playing in Sunday's loss to the Lakers. The rising star played 28 minutes, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds and one block. The next opportunity for him to suit up will be Friday, when the Heat face the Hawks in Las Vegas.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Invisible in Game 4 thumping
Rotowire
Ware closed with two points (1-6 FG, 0-4 3Pt) and seven rebounds across 15 minutes during Monday's 138-83 loss to Cleveland in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Ware barely troubled the statisticians in terms of the scoring column, ending what has been a serviceable rookie campaign. Initially out of the rotation altogether, Ware eventually moved into a meaningful role, flashing some upside on both sides of the court. He is an intriguing prospect and one of the few positives to come out of the season for Miami.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Double-doubles in blowout
Rotowire
Ware racked up 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks across 26 minutes during Friday's 153-104 win over the Pelicans.
Ware recorded his 15th double-double of the season during Friday's blowout win. Since moving to the starting lineup on Jan. 21, the rookie big man has proven to be a consistent shot-blocker, averaging 1.3 blocks across 35 appearances.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Snags 17 boards in win
Rotowire
Ware produced 19 points (8-16 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 17 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 35 minutes during Monday's 117-105 victory over the 76ers.
Ware bounced back from a sluggish performance Saturday against the Bucks, notching his second double-double in three appearances. He led his team on the glass with 17 rebounds, which marked a new season high for the 20-year-old rookie. Ware has been less reliable in the scoring department of late, as he's been held to single digits in three of his last five matchups.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Back to bench Monday
Rotowire
Ware is not in Miami's starting lineup against New York on Monday, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
Ware is coming off a double-double against the Grizzlies on Saturday. He has started in all but one game he's played in since Jan. 21, but he'll come off the bench Monday while Jaime Jaquez enters the Heat's starting five. Ware should still see meaningful minutes in a reserve role behind Bam Adebayo.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Records double-double
Rotowire
Ware ended Saturday's 125-91 loss to the Grizzlies with 19 points (8-14 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-3 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 36 minutes.
The Heat looked overmatched in this 34-point loss to the Grizzlies, but Ware was one of the few standout performers for Miami. The rookie out of Indiana posted his first double-double since Feb. 23, when he supplied12 points and 12 boards against the Bucks. Ware is certainly more valuable in dynasty formats than in standard leagues, but he will continue to have a decent floor as long as he remains in a starting role, which is likely to be the case for the rest of the season.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Shifting to bench Friday
Rotowire
Ware is not in the Heat's starting lineup against the Celtics on Friday.
Ware has started in every game he has appeared in since Jan. 21. The rookie first rounder will shift to a reserve role Friday as head coach Erik Spoelstra goes with Bam Adebayo at the five with Jaime Jaquez and Andrew Wiggins rounding out the Heat's starting frontcourt.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Makes defensive impact in return
Rotowire
Ware (knee) tallied seven points (3-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks across 26 minutes Saturday in the Heat's 114-109 loss to the Bulls.
Back in action after a three-game absence due to a left knee sprain, Ware took back his spot in the starting five alongside Bam Adebayo. The rookie took a back seat on the offensive end to fellow starters Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins, but Ware piled up some useful numbers defensively. Since moving into a starting role Jan. 21, Ware is now averaging 10.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 three-pointers in 29.2 minutes while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 76.2 percent from the free-throw line over 19 games.
... See More... See Less
Heat's Kel'el Ware: Good to go Saturday
Rotowire
Ware (knee) is available for Saturday's game against the Bulls, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Ware had sat out the Heat's last three games with a left knee sprain, but he's made enough progress to give it a go Saturday. With Ware back in the fold, Kevin Love is likely to move to the bench. Since entering the starting lineup Jan. 21, Ware has averaged 10.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks over 29.4 minutes per game.
