Last season, Camel ended with a 37-45 record. That was tenth place in the Eastern Conference, and Miami missed the playoffs. This is the first time Sicne did not play in the playoffs in 2018-19.
The 2024-25 season will be the first year without Jimmy Butler since 2018-19. All-star SG Tyler Herro needs surgery on his feet and will miss the time to start the year. Miami will rely on its senior talent and depth while Herro misses time. Two of the players are Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware. Recently, Heat provided team choices for Jaquez and Ware in the 2026-27 season.
Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware are both on contract status in the 2026-27 season
Heat receives Jaime Jaquez Jr, Kel’el Ware’s 26-27 team options
– REALGM (@realgm) September 23, 2025
With the 18th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Heat chose Jaime Jaquez Jr. from UCLA. Jaquez played 141 games and played 37 games in two seasons. As a rookie in 2023-24, he competed in 75 of 82 games in Miami and started 20 games. In the 2024-25 season, Jaime Jaquez competed in 66 games and played 17 games. Last season, head coach Erik Spoelstra lowered his role. Jaquez averaged 28.2 minutes per game, compared to 20.7 last season.
Furthermore, his overall work takes a step back to Miami. After averaging 11.9 points per game for rookies, he averaged 8.6 points in his second year. Despite taking a step back, the Heat still believe Jaime Jaquez Jr. Insider Keith Smith reports that the team chose Jaquez’s team option in the 2026-27 season. He signed for two more seasons and would be a free agent for Offseaosn in 2027 if Miami doesn’t sign again.
It can be confirmed through NBA sources that the Miami Heat have found rookie-scale contract options on Jaime Jaquez and Kel’el Ware. Both are considered formalities. The question of the next rookie size is whether Nikola Jovic will be extended.
—Ira Winderman (@IraheAtbeat) September 23, 2025
Another player from Heat who got the 2026-27 team option is Big Man Kel’el Ware. He is the 15th pick in Indiana’s 2024 NBA Draft. As a rookie in 2024-25, Ware competed in 64 of Miami’s 82 games and started 36 games. By mid-January, head coach Erik Spoelstra promoted Ware to a full-time starting center. Ware ranks sixth in the rookie of the year.
Going forward, Kel’el Ware is expected to be Miami’s starting center. This gives the Heat a talented prospect along with All-Star Bam Adebayo. In his rookie season, he averaged 9.3 rebounds, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. In addition, he averages 22.2 minutes per game. Unless there is a significant change, it is expected to see Kel’el Ware as the starting center of the Heat for a long time.
