With Miami Heat star Kel'el Ware and his playing time the talk of the fanbase for what has felt like the longest, there's no denying that his name has been thrown around in trade speculation. As the Heat have been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the bevy of trade scenarios has included Ware, of which the 22-year-old himself is aware of the rumors.
Miami fans are looking ahead to next Thursday's trade deadline, which has the team being named as one that is “pushing hard” for an Antetokounmpo trade, according to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. Ware's name, along with Tyler Herro, has been headlining many mock trades and rumors, with the young center acknowledging he's seen it all.
“Of course, I’ve seen it,” Ware said, according to The Miami Herald. “My people have told me. But at the end of the day, if they make that decision, they make that decision. If not, then I’m just going to continue to go out here and play regardless.”
Ware has been trying to find extended minutes amidst an up-and-down sophomore season, as he recorded three minutes in Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, but the big man is focused on improving on the court. He would downplay the speculation as a distraction.
“I don’t really think it’s even much of a distraction,” Ware said. “Because, like I said, it’s not even something you can control. I mean, so I guess you could say that goes along the lines of control the controllables. I mean, if it happens, it happens. Wherever I’m at, I’m going to try to go play my best basketball.”
Heat's Kel'el Ware stresses himself to ‘control the controllables'
Miami Heat center Kel'El Ware (7) at Madison Square Garden.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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There's no denying the talent that Ware possesses, with the Heat center selected to the 2026 Rising Stars game as a second-year player, representing the team along with Norman Powell, who'll be a reserve for the All-Star game. Ware would say that no one within the organization has spoken with him regarding being potentially moved, but trade rumors are a part of the business, as the 2024 first-round pick echoed, focusing only on what he can control.
“I feel like everybody has the same mindset with that,” Ware said. “I mean, that’s really all it is. Control the controllables. None of us are the ones making that decision. So you’ve got to wait to see. If something happens by the deadline, it happens. If not, it doesn’t happen. We’re going to continue to try to play as a team.”
Reporting around a potential trade with the Bucks for Antetokounmpo, Shams Charania of ESPN would say that the team is looking for a “young blue-chip talent.” The only player on the Heat that fits the bill is Ware, as his seven-foot frame and athleticism give him an archetype that any team can build into a productive player.
If there is one positive with his name being in trade rumors and speculation, it's that it shows he's a valuable player.
“That just means that I bring value and I bring a skill set,” Ware said.
At any rate, it remains to be seen if Ware is dealt by next Thursday's deadline or stays with Miami as a foundational piece in their young core. So far this season, Ware has averaged 11.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from beyond the arc.