As the Miami Heat continue to wait out the Phoenix Suns' decision on where and whether they're going to trade Kevin Durant, Kel'el Ware continues to be one player who could tip the scales of a deal in either direction. If Udonis Haslem, the Heat's Vice President of Basketball Development, has his way, though, Ware will not be in any deal.
On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, it was revealed that Haslem would take offense if Ware were part of the eventual KD deal that lands him in Miami. In ESPN's Shams Charania's defense, who brought up the probability of it happening, it does seem unlikely that the Heat are going to swing a deal for KD without Ware, but if they were to pull it off, it's clear that Haslem would be very pleased.
You'd imagine that if Haslem feels so strongly and protective of Ware, it's because he's played a strong role in the development. As a fellow big man, that's pretty much expected, especially as Haslem has continued to be an active and present member of the Heat after his retirement. But even as far as the fan base is concerned, Ware has become somewhat of the favorite out of the Heat's bunch of young players.
Kel'el Ware is a talented, but there's no telling how good he can be
In his rookie season, Ware left a huge impression across the organization. When he was on the floor, he made a difference for the Heat. He helped take some of the interior pressure off of Bam Adebayo and proved that he can be more than just a position-filling player on the offensive end of the floor.
The big question that will make or break the Heat's offseason, especially with the way rumors have been swirling around Ware, revolves around just how good he can be. If the Heat don't end up trading for KD, and Ware ends up being a big reason why, the expectations for his sophomore season will be through the roof.
But if Ware can take even a slight step up from the player he was this past season, the Heat would be greatly pleased. That's part of the reason why it would theoretically be difficult for Miami to part ways with the young big man.
At least for now, there's no telling how good Ware can be at his peak. It's both good and bad for Miami. If he is on the roster on opening night for the Heat, all eyes will be on Ware to see whether he can live up to the hype, built up by both the organization and the fan base.