New NBA Rumors Reveal Kel'el Ware's Trade Value Amid Giannis to Heat Buzz

Rumors linking Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat continue to persist despite the Heat arguably having far worse trade packages to offer than many other potential suitors.

One such player who would almost assuredly be in those conversations is center Kel'el Ware, and on Wednesday Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald discussed what he's heard around the league regarding Ware's trade value.

"With regard to Ware, I'm not sure why the Bucks would want to flip him, even though they have underachieving Myles Turner under contract for three more years," he wrote. "If the Heat simply traded Ware on his own, Miami very likely would get a first-round pick back based on interest shown in the league, a source said. (The Heat has no intention of trading Ware on his own.)"

Ware, 22, averaged 11.1 points, nine rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 77 games during the 2025-26 season (34 starts), shooting 53 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three.

He's emerging as a solid player, though he's hardly a signature piece in a trade for a player of Antetokounmpo's stature.

"At the end of the day, though, it goes back to the original point. I think if Giannis winds up in Miami, it's because the Heat were the last team standing," ESPN's Tim Bontemps said during Wednesday's Hoop Collective podcast (7:37 mark). "I think if there's other teams in the race, at least for me, if I was (general manager) Jon Horst in Milwaukee and I was looking at it, the Heat package is fine. But it's not enough for me if any of these other teams decide to get in the mix."

A Giannis trade is almost assuredly coming, with NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer writing Tuesday that "there really is a growing expectation throughout the NBA" of such a deal before the NBA draft on June 23. And if Giannis expresses that he wants the Heat and doesn't want to play for other franchises, that could impact the trade market favorably for Miami.

The Bucks still have their own leverage, however—they get final say on the trade they agree to make, or whether they make one at all. And in the meantime, players like Ware wait to see where they'll be playing their basketball next season.