With every single game that passes, the Miami Heat's brutal Kel'el Ware reality is becoming more and more clear. And it's the fact that there's a chance that it may never entirely click for Ware. If it doesn't quickly, that means the Heat almost certainly must look to trade him before it becomes too late.
Ware may have all the raw talent in the world, but if the effort and willingness aren't there consistently for him, he's never going to develop into the player that the team believes he can be. If Ware is not going to be able to be the player the Heat is hoping he can be, there's little reason to keep going down this path with him.
Of course, the big question is, at what point is it time for the Heat to cut bait? It's incredibly too early for that to even be a conversation at this point, but that could change within the next couple of months. Especially if Ware continues to have these frustrating lapses.
The Heat's Kel'el Ware frustrations
Despite his natural talent, Ware looks uninterested most of the time he's on the floor. He's constantly outhustled for rebounds, in the wrong position on the defensive end of the floor, and almost always seems to be operating at a slower speed than anyone else on the Heat.
Just look at the Heat's win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night as the latest example of this. In a game that he probably should've feasted in, without Bam Adebayo playing for the Heat, Ware finished with just seven points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of action. He was out-rebounded by 6-foot-4 Tre Mann. That's unacceptable for Ware.
There are too many times when the Heat are being held back by Ware when he's on the floor, and he's been more of a headache than an asset for Miami so far this season. Despite averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game this season, he's been a net negative when he's on the floor. Through the first nine games of the season. Ware has a -10 net rating when he's in the game for the Heat.
As a team, the Heat's offense and defense are both worse when Ware's on the floor. There's a clear problem that the team is still trying to work out.
Kel'el Ware is still a work in progress
Generally speaking, teams will give young players 3-4 years to find their footing. Unfortunately, the Heat may not have that luxury.
Part of the Heat's path back to relevancy in the Eastern Conference largely hinges on the development of their young core. If the young core isn't responding to that level of franchise-changing development, it opens the door for other big potential changes.
Meaning, the Heat would be much more inclined to try and package some of the team's young core, along with a few draft picks, in an attempt to acquire a star player. During the summer, there was clear hesitation in doing so. If Ware specifically isn't in a position where he's showing much promise, amid the Heat's patience with him, perhaps the team's classification of his untouchable trade status will change. And quickly.
Something has to give pretty quickly with Ware. If he can't dramatically change the narrative between now and the NBA Trade Deadline, you can't help but wonder how much that will change the Heat's outlook for the future.
The writing may already be on the wall for Ware's future in Miami, and it may not be exactly what many Heat fans expected just a couple of months ago.