Heat second-year big man Kel’el Ware is experiencing growing pains and his playing time has been shaved. He was on the court for just 11 minutes and 30 seconds in a loss to the Lakers on Sunday, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes.
“I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating,” Ware said of his usage. “I feel like you got to trust the coach and the decisions that he comes up with. And then you got to go from there and be ready when your name is called.”
Entering Monday’s matchup against the Clippers, the Heat have been outscored by 10 points per 100 possessions with Ware on the court this season, according to Chiang. No other rotation player has a worse net rating.
“We’re not going to give up on him,” frontcourt partner Bam Adebayo said. “We know how great he can be. He moves the needle for this team.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Their defense in general was poor against the Lakers, as they gave up 130 points. They are 0-2 on their current road trip. “It really boiled down to a lack of effort on plays that we’re accustomed to doing and making, and/or mindless plays,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “Either fouls or just things that we haven’t been doing. So you do have to credit them, but we’re much better defensively than we showed (Sunday). That’s probably what’s really frustrating.”
- Norman Powell missed his third straight game on Sunday because of a right groin strain, Chiang adds. Powell was listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest before being ruled out a few hours before tipoff. He’s questionable to play against the Clippers, who dealt him to the Heat in July as part of a three-team trade.
- Will they sue to Hornets for their failure to disclose gambling allegations against Terry Rozier before they traded him to Miami in January 2024? The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson believes it’s unlikely, noting that Heat owner Micky Arison and his son, team CEO Nick Arison, are not predisposed to filing lawsuits. The NBA was immediately informed of the suspicious betting activity the day it happened and did not inform the Heat at that time or before it approved the trade, according to Jackson’s sources. However, the Arisons have a strong relationship with commissioner Adam Silver.
- Noah LaRoche has been a significant addition to the staff, Chiang writes. He was brought in this season as a consultant after being an assistant with the Grizzlies before last season. LaRoche was credited with helping to install a more free-flowing, motion-based offense with Memphis and is doing the same with the Heat.