2. Is Kel’el Ware ready?
As impressive as Ware was in the Heat’s Summer League championship run, we still don’t know what he can do at the NBA level.
As a 7-foot shot-blocker with rim-running and 3-point shooting potential, there’s a lot to like in Ware’s game. He’ll be tested when the Heat begin training camp in the Bahamas, where the center room will include Adebayo, Love and Thomas Bryant.
Spoelstra has called assistant coach Malik Allen one of the best big-men coaches in the NBA, and he’ll be tasked with getting Ware ready to contribute as soon as possible. Ware has drawn comparisons to Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, who played an important role in last season’s Finals run.
Lively started 42 regular-season games but mostly came off the bench after the Mavericks traded for Daniel Gafford, including all 21 playoff games. He still averaged 23.5 minutes, 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game for the Mavs last season. The Heat would love to get that kind of production from Ware.
There will be a learning curve for Ware on defense, and he’s been a willing, albeit streaky, 3-point shooter for his career. But he should provide size, a big lob-threat target, rebounding and shot-blocking from day one.