Kel'el Ware's role with the Miami Heat has gone through the blender this season after a good rookie year, but an even better sophomore year as far as statistics are concerned. Despite the better numbers and improvement, there is a sense that Ware's role with the Heat could be bigger.
Earlier in the year, tension between Ware and Erik Spolestra surfaced regarding Ware's playing time. As for that tension, it has since vanished, it would appear, because Ware is averaging over 20 minutes per game, and Spoelstra has seemed to have more trust in Ware, and it's because Ware is giving him every reason to.
The Heat dropped the second game of their back-to-back set with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it was in the first game's win that Ware really shone, having one of his best games of the season. His teammate, Norman Powell, noticed and made some big claims about Ware's capabilities.
Norman Powell calls Kel'el Ware 'generational'
Ware is having a much-improved second season, after an already impressive rookie campaign. This season, he's averaging 11.1 points (up from 9.3 last year), 9.2 rebounds (up from 7.4 last year), and shooting 37.6% from three, but experiencing a small dip in overall field goal percentage to 52.9%, which is still excellent.
One of his most impressive outings this season came earlier this week against the Cavaliers, in a game the Heat had to win, which they did, and Ware's impact was made in a massive way. Ware scored 13 points while shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, including three knockdowns from outside the arc. It's a small sample size, but efficiency matters.
Ware added 11 rebounds and four assists on the night as well. It was a big night, and he helped the Heat get the win. It was Powell's comments later that grabbed some attention, though, when he called Ware the type of player who gets a term that doesn't get thrown around all too often, or lightly, for that matter. Maybe Powell sees something many others don't.
“We’ve seen it multiple times this season so it’s good that coaches trusts him to put him in and play him extended minutes in that 4Q," Powell said. "He’s a good generational talent — it’s just about his mindset every single day when he steps on that floor.”
You heard it; Ware is a "generational talent" according to Powell. That's a big compliment for Ware, who isn't a full-time player just yet, but clearly, there is enough potential being spotlighted that Powell would make that type of comment.
There is no doubt that Ware's impact on the Heat is showing up in significant ways, and could very well be a signature part of the Heat's future. When we speak of generational talent, though, Ware certainly has All-Star-caliber talent and potential, but "generational" might be a bridge too far, at least at this point in his career.
That said, for Powell to say something like that, Ware can surely draw immense confidence from those words and use them as fuel to become even better. How he finishes this season should say a lot. Generational or not, Ware is doing what he should to mark his place with the Heat, but he has a long way to go; that's for sure.