As expected, the Miami Heat guaranteed another season on the rookie-scale contracts of forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and center Kel’el Ware, a league source confirmed Tuesday.
Jaquez, who was taken by the Heat with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2023 Draft, had the $5.9 million fourth-year option in his rookie deal picked up for the 2026-27 season. He will then become a restricted free agent in the 2027 offseason unless he agrees to an extension with the Heat prior to that summer.
Ware, who was selected by the Heat with the 15th pick in the first round of the 2024 Draft, had the $4.7 million third-year option in his rookie contract picked up for the 2026-27 season. Next offseason, the Heat will need to decide on the $7.1 million fourth-year option in Ware’s contract for the 2027-28 season.
Jaquez, 24, and Ware, 21, were already under contract for this upcoming season. Jaquez will earn $3.9 million and Ware will earn $4.4 million this season.
After picking up the options on Jaquez and Ware, the Heat now has nine players under contract for the 2026-27 season: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins (player option), Davion Mitchell, Jaquez, Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, Dru Smith (nonguaranteed) and Pelle Larsson (team option).
Jaquez and Ware have become a part of the Heat’s recent youth movement, with Jaquez named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team for the 2023-24 season and Ware earning a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team for last season.
But Jaquez is coming off a rough season. His production dipped across the board last season following a standout rookie year.
Jaquez averaged fewer points (8.6 per game last season compared to 11.9 per game the previous season) while shooting a worse percentage from the field (46.1% last season compared to 48.9% the previous season) and three-point range (31.1% last season compared to 32.2% the previous season) last regular season than the previous regular season. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game in 66 regular-season appearances (17 starts) in his second NBA season.
Ware is hoping to continue the momentum he built last season. He made tremendous progress as a rookie, earning consistent minutes and then being promoted to a starting role in January after logging double-digit minutes in just two of the Heat’s first 25 games last regular season. The 7-foot Ware started next to the 6-foot-9 Adebayo to form a double-big lineup for the final three months of the season.
After being moved into a full-time starting role, Ware averaged 10.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 21 of 76 (27.6%) on threes during his final 38 regular-season appearances last season. That midseason push was enough for Ware to finish as the top vote-getter on the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team, closing just one spot from making the All-Rookie First Team.
The Heat had until Oct. 31 to decide on the rookie-scale options of Jaquez and Ware.
The Heat is set to hold its annual Media Day on Monday before opening training camp on Sept. 30 at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton .to kick off the 2025-26 season.
