Heat Leaning Into Bam Adebayo-Kel'el Ware Frontcourt

Miami's young center Kel'el Ware has seen an increase in minutes alongside All-Star Bam Adebayo, and the results have been promising.

Feb. 12, 2026 at 8:23pm

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The Miami Heat have been experimenting with a "double-big" lineup featuring All-Star center Bam Adebayo and young center Kel'el Ware over the past three games. The duo has been highly effective, posting a +68 net rating in just 42 minutes together. Ware's ability to crash the offensive glass and stretch the floor has complemented Adebayo's defensive anchor role, leading to increased cohesion and spacing in Miami's offense.

Why it matters

The Heat are currently in the play-in tournament position and need to evaluate their roster for the future. Developing a productive frontcourt pairing of Adebayo and Ware could be key to Miami's long-term success, especially if they can make a playoff push this season.

The details

After head coach Erik Spoelstra previously criticized Ware's effort and attitude, the young center has responded by making the most of his increased playing time. In the last three games, the Adebayo-Ware frontcourt has dominated, with the duo posting a +68 net rating in just 42 minutes together. Ware's offensive rebounding and 3-point shooting have provided a nice complement to Adebayo's defensive presence and playmaking.

  • Over the last three games leading up to the All-Star break
  • In a postgame quote a few weeks ago, Spoelstra criticized Ware's effort and attitude

The players

Bam Adebayo

An All-Star center and the anchor of the Miami Heat frontcourt.

Kel'el Ware

A young center for the Miami Heat with significant potential who has seen an increase in playing time alongside Adebayo.

Erik Spoelstra

The head coach of the Miami Heat who previously criticized Ware's effort and attitude but has now praised the young center's improved approach.

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What they’re saying

“I also appreciate Kel'el's process over the last 3 weeks or month, since whenever that game was — the infamous postgame quote. But his process really improved and you're going to go through stretches where it's up and down but he came in everyday since then — just trying to work on getting better…I appreciate his approach as of late.”

— Erik Spoelstra, Head Coach (Twitter)

What’s next

The Heat will continue to experiment with the Adebayo-Ware frontcourt as they push for a playoff spot, with the goal of evaluating whether the duo can be a productive long-term pairing.

The takeaway

The Heat's willingness to lean into a Bam Adebayo-Kel'el Ware frontcourt shows their commitment to developing young talent and finding the right pieces to complement their All-Star center. If the duo can continue to thrive, it could be a significant boost to Miami's playoff hopes and long-term outlook.