Heat’s Kel’el Ware Suddenly Favorite To Win Postseason Award After Hot Streak

Miami Heat rookie center Kel’el Ware isn’t just a bright spot amid the ongoing Jimmy Butler saga.

Ware has suddenly positioned himself to bring home some hardware.

Ware, the No. 15 pick last June, is now the betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year in some sportsbooks. As of Friday morning, the FanDuel Sportsbook lists Ware with +200 odds (bet $100 to win $200), ahead of Spurs guard Stephon Castle (+310) and Wizards big man Alexandre Sarr (+330).

DraftKings offers similar odds, with Ware at +140, significantly ahead of Sarr (+350) and Castle (+370).

Although Hard Rock Bet gives Ware +140 odds to win Rookie of the Year, he still trails Grizzlies center Zach Edey (+100). Interestingly, FanDuel lists Edey at +2000 as of Friday.

Things change quickly. Hard Rock Bet listed Ware as +6000 odds to win Rookie of the Year on Monday.

Ware has recorded three straight 20-point games and two consecutive double-doubles. He tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in Thursday’s blowout loss to the Bucks.

Kel’el Ware 22-10-2b (9/15 FG) @ MIL https://t.co/id5E2TEx7E pic.twitter.com/5uMcak57Ef
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 24, 2025

Ware averages 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds. He’s started the Heat’s last two games, forming a double-big frontcourt with Bam Adebayo.

No Heat player has ever won Rookie of the Year.

RIVERS BACKS SPOELSTRA

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra finds himself in an unenviable place amid the Jimmy Butler trade drama.

Butler wants out, and the Heat have suspended him twice this month alone. The Heat are in freefall, losing six of their last 10 and dropping to 21-22.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers feels for Spoelstra, who he knows is in a lose-lose situation.

“I feel terrible for Spo,” Rivers said Thursday. “I mean, there’s no winning for Spo in this. It’s just hard.

“He’s got to try to get his team focused,” Rivers added. “It’s our league at times, and it’s no fun to go through.”

Rivers’ Bucks routed the Heat 125-96 on Thursday night. A national audience watched the Heat allow 44 second-quarter points, spearheaded by Damian Lillard notching six points in 1.1 seconds.

“It’s not fun really for the players because their brother is the player, and so they don’t want to have to take sides,” Rivers explained.

“They don’t want to get involved,” Rivers continued. “And anything they say will be construed one way or the other.”

PARKER RIPS BUTLER AGAIN

If Butler needs someone to vouch for him this summer, he shouldn’t call Fox Sports Radio host Rob Parker.

Parker has frequently criticized Butler throughout the ongoing trade saga, and he again unleashed on the six-time All-Star.

“He’s unreliable, unprofessional, and is a big baby when he doesn’t get his way,” Parker said Thursday. “It is awful.”

Parker went one step further, essentially urging owners to band together and refuse to sign Butler this summer. Butler can hit unrestricted free agency if he declines a $52 million player option.

“I wouldn’t touch this guy with a 10-foot pole,” Parker argued on The Odd Couple. “I wouldn’t give him anything. I don’t care.

“Who would want to go and sign up or get in bed with somebody who’s done this in the other stops that he’s been?” Parker continued.

Parker notably blasted Butler in late December, shortly after Heat president Pat Riley declared the team wouldn’t trade the All-Star forward.

“Jimmy Butler, you signed a contract,” Parker said Dec. 26. “Live up to it.”

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.