Miami Heat Fans Need To Settle Their Expectations For First-Round Pick

Bryan Townes | Oct 13, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

If Miami Heat rookie center Kel'el Ware isn't finding significant time in preseason, it's hard to imagine he finds serious playing time in the regular season outside of a potential injury replacement.

For the second straight preseason game, Ware was the fourth center to check into the game for the Heat. He checked into the game with two minutes left in the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans. Before that, Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, and Thomas Bryant saw playing time over him.

Ware finished with six points and five rebounds on 40 percent shooting.

It's not unusual for rookies under coach Erik Spoelstra to see little to no playing time in their first seasons with the Heat. Their first few years are often for physical development while honing their skills for whatever their role may be. Nikola Jovic is a prime example, considering it took him until midway through his second season to see consistent minutes.

One of the main things that Ware still struggles with is his lighter frame. Putting on more muscle mass would allow him to have a more commanding presence as he gets to wherever he needs to be on both ends of the floor.

His lengthy 7-foot frame provides him an advantage over other players on the team, as he is the tallest on the roster. However, it is essential that he follows Spoelstra’s directions for his desired defensive schemes since that is how most players earn their playing time.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11 Follow our coverage on Facebook.