Kel'el Ware

Miami Heat, Center
Age: 21y-10m-20d (Apr 20, 2004)
Exp: 1 Years
Country: US
College: Indiana
Drafted: Round 1 (#15 overall), 2024
Agent(s): Max Saidman, Austin Brown, Richard Felder (CAA Sports)
2025-26 Cap Hit

$4,443,360

2025-26 Cash

$4,496,453

Career Earnings

$8,728,253

2024-2027 Rookie (CURRENT)

Kel'el Ware signed a 4 year, $20,466,072 contract with the Miami Heat, including $8,675,160 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $5,116,518. In 2025-26, Ware will earn a base salary of $4,443,360, while carrying a cap hit of $4,443,360 and a dead cap value of $4,443,360.
Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $20,466,072
Average Salary:
$5,116,518
GTD at Sign:
$8,675,160
Total GTD:
$8,675,160
Signed Using:
rookie-scale-exception
Free Agent:
2028 / RFA
Year Age Status Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Apron Salary Luxury Tax Tax % League Tax Cash Annual Cash Guaranteed Cash Cumulative
2024-25 20 $4,231,800 3.01% $4,231,800 $4,231,800 2.48% $4,231,800 $4,231,800 $4,231,800
2025-26 21 $4,443,360 2.87% $4,443,360 $4,443,360 2.36% $4,443,360 $4,443,360 $8,675,160
2026-27 22
Club
$4,654,920 2.80% $4,654,920 $4,654,920 2.31% $4,654,920 - $13,330,080
2027-28 23
Club
 $7,135,992 4.09% $7,135,992 $7,135,992 3.37% $7,135,992 - $20,466,072
2028-29 24
RFA
Year Age Status Base Salary Incentives Likely Incentives Unlikely Cap Hit Cap % League Luxury Tax
2024-25 20 $4,231,800 - - $4,231,800 3.01% $4,231,800
2025-26 21 $4,443,360 - - $4,443,360 2.87% $4,443,360
2026-27 22
Club
$4,654,920 - - $4,654,920 2.80% $4,654,920
2027-28 23
Club
 $7,135,992 - - $7,135,992 4.09% $7,135,992
2028-29 24
RFA
Year Age Status Base Salary Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining AYC Cumulative AYC Remaining
2024-25 20 $4,231,800 $4,231,800 $4,231,800 $20,466,072 $4,231,800 $5,116,518
2025-26 21 $4,443,360 $4,443,360 $8,675,160 $16,234,272 $4,337,580 $5,411,424
2026-27 22
Club
$4,654,920 $4,654,920 $13,330,080 $11,790,912 $4,443,360 $5,895,456
2027-28 23
Club
 $7,135,992 $7,135,992 $20,466,072 $7,135,992 $5,116,518 $7,135,992
Contract Notes
  • 2026-27: Club Option (deadline 10/31/25, exercised 9/23/25)
  • 2027-28: Club Option (deadline 10/31/26)
Source: Spotrac
Seasons

1 Years

Career Earnings thru 2025

$8,728,253

Earnings w/ Different Teams

1 team

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2024 20
Active
$4,231,800
$4,231,800
2025 21
Active
NBA Cup
$4,443,360
$53,093
$8,675,160
$8,728,253
Total      
$8,728,253
$8,675,160
$8,728,253
2026 22
Active / Club Exercised
$4,654,920
2027 23
Active / Club
$7,135,992
Total
$20,519,165
* denotes prorated cash total due to lockout season

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
2 $8,728,253 - - $8,728,253
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2024
20
$4,231,800
$4,231,800
$4,231,800
2025
21
$4,443,360
$53,093
$4,443,360
$53,093
$8,675,160
$8,728,253
Total
$8,728,253
$8,728,253
$8,675,160
$8,728,253
2026
22
$4,654,920
$4,654,920
2027
23
$7,135,992
$7,135,992
Total
$20,519,165
$20,519,165

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
2 $8,728,253 - - $8,728,253

Injuries

Year Dates Games Missed Reason
2025-26 MIA Jan 20, 2026 - Jan 25, 2026 4 Hamstring
2024-25 MIA Mar 03, 2025 - Mar 07, 2025 3 Knee
2024-25 MIA Dec 01, 2024 - Dec 08, 2024 5 Foot
2024-25 MIA Oct 25, 2024 - Oct 25, 2024 1 Illness
  • Sep 23, 2025 Miami (MIA) exercised $4.65 million option for 2026-27
  • Jul 01, 2024 Signed a 4 year $20.5 million rookie scale contract with Miami (MIA)
  • Jun 26, 2024 Drafted by Miami (MIA): Round 1 (#15 overall)
Year Team GP GS Min/Gm Pt/Gm Reb/Gm Ast/Gm Stl/Gm Blk/Gm FG% 3PT% FT%
2025 MIA 61 29 22.6 11.4 9.3 0.5 0.9 1.1 .535 .390 .765
2024 MIA 64 36 22.2 9.3 7.4 0.9 0.6 1.1 .554 .315 .687
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