The Miami Heat knows they need to solve their offensive issues. However, as NBA analyst Mo Dakhil notes, not only do they need to solve their inconsistency on that end of the floor, but they need to do so while finding a path toward playing Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware together more productively and effectively.
And it may be one important point of emphasis that Erik Spoelstra may be overlooking in his attempt to get the Heat to the postseason.
Even though Bam and Ware have played slightly more together of late than they have for much of this season, there's a sense that Spo remains hesitant to force the issue with this duo. The argument could be made that it might be a mistake for both the short and long-term outlooks for the Heat.
Bam and Ware has to work for the Heat to reach their ceiling
Theoretically speaking, the only way that the Heat can hit their ceiling this season, as limited as it may be, is if the Bam and Ware experiment begins to click. While there are some talented players on this Heat team, Bam and Ware are clearly in a class of their own.
Bam is already a two-way star in his own right, and Ware has many of those similar characteristics. Even though he may be a year or two away from a likely breakout moment of his career, there have been shades of greatness between the two.
If the two can quickly gel together, it will dramatically alter the outlook for the Heat. And, not just for this season, but also moving forward.
Ware evolving into a premier blue-chip prospect for the Heat not only has a chance to raise their ceiling heading into the postseason, but it could also alter the future of this organization. If Ware continues to evolve into the player that he can be, and this offense can prosper with their dynamic duo on the floor together more consistently, it changes the way this roster can be built in the future.
Plus, it gives the Heat's front office way more flexibility heading into a crucial offseason.
There have been encouraging signs
But, again, much of that depends on Spo figuring out the complexities of this Bam-Ware on-the-court relationship. The good news is that there have been some promising signs lately.
Since Feb. 8, Heat lineups with Bam and Ware have outscored teams by 95 points, 6th best among all NBA 2-man combos during that time -- behind only three different Spurs with Victor W.; Bam with Simone (!); and Boston's Derrick White and Sam Hauser. Encouraging!
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) March 4, 2026
Of course, Bam and Ware have only shared the floor for 75 minutes over that span. That equates to a little more than 10 minutes per game on the floor together. It's not nearly enough to draw any big-picture conclusions, but that's where the frustrations fall.
It'd be one thing if the sample size for Bam and Ware was not promising. But, it is. And that's why many in the fan base are calling for Spo to give them what they want. Even Bam is calling for more minutes with Ware. At this point in the season, it may be beneficial for Spo to just rip the band-aid off.
Live and die with Bam and Ware. Roll the dice and the let the pieces fall where they may.
After all, this is not just a gamble on this season. Two years into Ware, the Heat needs to have that clarification on what it has - or doesn't have - with Bam and Ware.
A big part of getting there is giving them a shot to prove themselves. As Dakhil notes, it's about time Spo trusts the duo (and himself) to figure it all out.