When the Miami Heat drew a hard line on sophomore big man Kel’el Ware in trade talks for Kevin Durant, the league took notice. Durant, a 15-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, was up for grabs in one of the most high-profile trade windows this year.
And while the Heat were very much in the mix, they weren’t willing to part with their 7-foot center. Weeks after the deal went down to Houston, Ware said he has plans to back up the trust Miami put in him.
Kel’el Ware Wants to Prove Heat Was Right to Believe in Him
When the Phoenix Suns opened the door to dealing Durant, several contenders rushed to the table. The Heat were one of them. After being swept out of the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the front office was exploring all options to speed up its rebuild and put themselves in a win-now situation. Durant seemed to be the most compelling option.
However, the Suns wanted Ware to be part of the package. As negotiations intensified, multiple reports confirmed the Heat declined to include Ware in any potential deal for the 36-year-old Durant.
That decision played a significant role in killing the deal. The Suns instead pivoted to the Houston Rockets, sending Durant in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and five second-round picks.
Despite the allure of Durant, the Heat made up their minds not to let go of Ware. He was viewed as a foundational piece — a modern big with size, skill, and upside too valuable to sacrifice. That confidence wasn’t lost on the 7-footer.
“It made me feel the Heat wanted me and they want to see how far I can get in the future and see how my development goes.” Ware Ware told the Miami Herald.
For Ware, the trade speculation was just noise. But even he couldn’t ignore the weight of being labeled “untouchable” by one of the league’s most disciplined front offices. He now wants to repay the trust his team put in him:
“They see the potential in me and they see what I can be,” he said. “So my main goal is to just sort of repay that they didn’t make a mistake.”
Kelel Ware on what it means to be held of our trade talks for KD
“It made me feel the Heat wanted me and they want to see how far I can get in the future and see how my development goes. That makes me want to show them what I can do and how far I can go”
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— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) July 4, 2025
Ware, drafted 15th overall by Miami in 2024, averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and shot 55.4% from the field in his rookie season. He also knocked down 31.5% of his shots from deep, showing signs of the floor-spacing ability that modern offenses demand from bigs.
Heat’s Frontcourt Plans Signal Trust in Ware’s Development
Miami’s belief in Ware was strong enough that they began restructuring their frontcourt, moving Bam Adebayo into more of a power forward role to accommodate Ware’s growth. His size and rim protection allow the Heat to build a more versatile defense while opening up offensive spacing around Tyler Herro and Adebayo.
Still, Ware knows nothing is guaranteed in the league and he could have been easily moved to accommodate Durant.
“I didn’t really see too much of it,” he said, referring to the Durant rumors. “It was one of the things I was like if it happens, it happens. If not, it doesn’t. You got to think the Heat didn’t want to give me up, but that means the other team wanted me. I didn’t really pay no mind to it.”
But now that the dust has settled, Ware has his eyes on the next step: dominating the NBA Summer League and showing the NBA world why the Heat’s front office has so much confidence in him.
With Jimmy Butler gone and the franchise building around Herro, the Heat’s long-term success may hinge on how far Ware can go. His presence in the frontcourt, mobility and floor-stretching potential offer a new blueprint for how the Heat want to play.
The Heat will tip off their Summer League campaign on Saturday, July 5, facing the San Antonio Spurs’ squad in the California Classic at Chase Center in San Francisco. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET.
