The decision to hold Kel'el Ware out of trade discussions for Kevin Durant continues to look worse and worse for the Miami Heat. Now that head coach Erik Spoelstra has called out Ware for a second time in the matter of a few months, it's almost impossible not to think that Miami may have made a huge mistake.
Ware may have bounced back in a big way against the San Antonio Spurs in preseason game No. 3, finishing with an eye-catching 29 points and 12 rebounds in what Spo would call a "meaningful effort." But, still, it's not ideal that all this came after being "called out" by Spo for a second time in the last few months.
It's similar to what we saw from Ware toward the end of the NBA Summer League, in which it was only after criticism from Spo that sparked renewed focus from Ware. If that is going to continue to be the pattern moving forward, it's going to be difficult to rely on Ware in any consistent way this season.
On paper, Ware has had a pretty solid showing in the preseason thus far. Especially after a breakout performance, but it is notable that Spo continues to micromanage Ware at almost every turn. And it could very much point to even bigger concerns that may be taking place behind closed doors.
Will the Heat regret the decision to not trade Ware?
Generally speaking, especially for an organization like the Heat, by the time these types of criticisms reach the public forum, it has had to have reached a boiling point behind closed doors. That's what has to be the real concern for Heat fans.
If Ware can't right the ship and is more inconsistent than not, as he's been over the first year-plus of his career, it's going to be difficult for the franchise not to second-guess itself for the decision to keep Ware out of the trade discussion for KD.
It's impossible to know for sure if the Phoenix Suns would have traded KD to Miami had Ware been offered in a deal, but that does seem to be the growing narrative. And this could be a gutting decision for the Heat if Ware never snaps out of this early rut.
Has been reinforced to me that Suns badly wanted Ware in Durant talks. That ultimately was decider. But I agree with Heat not giving him up in part because of Durant age. And you need to see how it plays out with Ware, who has a lot of talent https://t.co/QfY2nWxaST
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) October 7, 2025
The Heat clearly believes in Ware's talent, and you'd imagine that's probably a big reason why Spo is so hard on him. Of course, the big question revolves around whether or not this is a tactic that will work in the long run.
If this is what Ware needs to ignite him into the All-Star player that the Heat believes he can be, this will end up being a well-played risk by Miami. However, if Ware never does reach his potential as a player, this is one of those decisions that the Heat could regret for years to come.