The Miami Heat got impactful performances from several of the team’s young guys to go undefeated in Las Vegas en route to the 2024 NBA Summer League championship. The greatest contribution came from the Heat’s newly-drafted big man, Kel’el Ware.
At 7-foot with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, Ware has the tools to become a terrific big in the NBA. While the knocks against him in the pre-draft process included a thin frame and concerns about his motor, his dominant summer-league performance helped to quiet those concerns.
There is already chatter of his 15th overall draft selection going down as the steal of the draft. Miami’s scouting department, led by Adam Simon, is familiar with landing underrated talent in the draft without having lottery picks. We’ve seen it with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, along with more recently, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and now, potentially, with Ware.
Ware averaged 18 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in summer league. He also shot an impressive 61.8% from the field and 30% from 3-point range (on 1.7 attempts per game).
With Adebayo getting a lot of reps at power forward for Team USA this summer, along with voicing an interest in playing that position moving forward, Ware could be the perfect big to help make that happen for two main reasons.
1. Functional size
Making Adebayo move to the power forward position will help beef up Miami’s frontcourt. However, it can’t happen with size alone, it needs to be functional size — size that adds something more than just inches to the rotation. There is no doubt that Ware provides strong rebounding and rim pressure, but the fact that he can hold his own on switches makes a pairing enticing.
In his last college season at Indiana, Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 59% shooting and 43% from 3-point range. The long-range shooting ability will help space the floor, adding size without cramping the floor around Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.
Most importantly, Ware’s rebounding efforts can make Adebayo more free to wreak havoc on the perimeter offensively and defensively. Adebayo has built a reputation for being able to defend positions 1-5 at an elite rate. Having someone like Ware as the anchor to get those boards can make it easier for Adebayo to stay as a wing defender with his own size and length.
2. Two-way versatility
As mentioned, Adebayo can guard any position on the court. He made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team and was a finalist for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Adding Ware to the lineup would only highlight Adebayo’s versatility.
Team USA has seen a lot of success with their lineups featuring Lakers center Anthony Davis and Adebayo, and Ware can mirror that hybrid frontcourt. Like Davis and Adebayo, Ware and Adebayo have the versatility to play either power forward or center.
Like Davis, Ware can drop in coverage and use his elite length to defend the rim, while Adebayo defends an elite wing player or is used as the defense’s free safety and creates turnovers. To be clear, Ware isn’t as strong defensively as Davis — another DPOY candidate last season — but there are enough similarities in playing style and frame that the Heat should try their in-house version of what could help Team USA earn a Gold medal.
Not only can the potential Heat pairing work defensively, but Ware’s shooting abilities can make the switch possible on offense, too. In summer league, Ware showed an array of different shot-making. He can finish lobs inside the paint, make floaters and jump shots, and create from the post. Having two bigs who can play off each other and get to the right spots on both ends can make the Heat dangerous to deal with.
