Through the first 11 games of the season, the perception around Kel’el Ware had not been especially positive. That is why Wednesday night’s Bucks vs Lakers matchup carries extra weight for the center, who is expected to start with Myles Turner out for rest.
The timing gives Ware a clean opportunity to reset the conversation. The Milwaukee Bucks are already finishing a back-to-back after a loss to the Knicks in New York on Tuesday, when Tyler Herro missed the game because of a right knee contusion and the Bucks managed only 85 points. Now, with Turner sitting out and Herro listed as questionable, the Bucks will have to lean on players who can provide a lift in a short window.
For Ware, that means more than just extra minutes. It means a chance to show he can be steady in a larger role after an uneven opening stretch. Through the first 11 games, his season line had been difficult to ignore: 6.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 32.9 percent overall and 25.5 percent from beyond the arc. Those numbers followed a recent stretch in which he scored 85 points total, but also posted 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 2 turnovers in one of those games, along with shooting totals of 2-for-22 and 1-for-13 that helped underscore the struggles.
Turner’s recent shooting numbers were also described as poor, but his absence still changes the shape of the frontcourt rotation. That makes Ware’s role more important than it might have been under normal circumstances. If he can take advantage of roughly 27 minutes a night in this spot, it could give him some momentum and help shift the narrative around his season.
That is the basic storyline entering Wednesday night: a rested veteran is out, the Bucks are short-handed, and Kel’el Ware has a real chance to make a better impression against the Los Angeles Lakers.
