The Miami Heat may have struck gold once again.
The Miami Heat selected only one player in the 2026 NBA draft: guard Ryan Conwell from the University of Louisville.
The new-look Heat needed more depth, but with only one draft pick, they turned to undrafted free agents. Quickly after the draft, the Heat would sign University of Miami point guard Tre Donaldson .
The Heat have been notorious for finding scrappy, overlooked, undrafted players who end up making huge impacts on the hardwood. Recent guys like Duncan Robinson and Gabe Vincent , and even past players like Udonis Haslem , all made tremendous impacts in their respective championship runs.
With loads of excitement surrounding the Heat in 2026, impact role players are a necessity, and Tre Donaldson might be a key piece this season.
Donaldson attended three different schools in his four-year college career, starting at Auburn for two seasons, then Michigan his junior year, and the University of Miami for his senior season. The 6-foot-2 guard got better every season and finished his career averaging 16.4 points per game and 5.7 assists per game for the Hurricanes.
At Miami, Donaldson showed off his ability to attack the basket and create his own shot. He shot about 36% from downtown last season, but most notably, he found his teammates and was the motor of the Hurricanes' offense. Defensively, he used his speed and IQ to disrupt the opposing offense, averaging 1.4 steals per game.
Following the draft, Donaldson would sign a Two-Way Contract with the Heat. The contract became official on July 3rd as a one-year deal.
He showed out later that month with the Heat's summer league team in Las Vegas. He averaged over 16 points, nearly seven assists, and 4.5 rebounds as one of the main floor generals. Donaldson's best performance came in a win versus the Detroit Pistons, filling the stat sheet with a highly efficient performance.
The Heat have added tons of scorers this offseason, so a facilitating guard like Donaldson could fit perfectly in the rotation.
"My playmaking…just the way I'm able to make the other four guys better. I'm able to control games, understanding what to do in certain times of the game," Donaldson said .
Donaldson has been seen on social media working out with some notable NBA players, including Heat starting point guard Davion Mitchell . Mitchell, maybe the best guy to learn from, had a solid year in Miami last season.
The Heat social media team also seems excited about Donaldson.
The 22-year-old guard heading into his rookie year in the NBA already looks confident and comfortable competing with NBA talent. Outside of his skill set, his mindset seems to be in the right place. The Heat have been known to hold their players to set standards, and Donaldson fits right into the identity in the 305.
"The Heat culture, I feel like, is the biggest thing, and I like to win. They do a lot of that," Donaldson said .
Donaldson is on a Two-Way contract, though, meaning he likely will not play much, or at all, with the Heat early in the season. Donaldson will presumably get significant playing time with the Heat's G-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. These minutes will be valuable in his development as he works his way through the Heat's organization.
Notable Heat players like Gabe Vincent and Max Strus , and even current backup point guard Dru Smith , started in Miami on Two-Way contracts and eventually became significant players for Miami. Vincent went on to sign a three-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Max Strus signed a four-year, $64 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The NBA preseason starts in about a month, when Tre Donaldson will presumably play heavy minutes with the real Heat roster. His development, and how and when head coach Erik Spoelstra uses the young guard, will be interesting to watch in a season with loads of excitement surrounding the new-look Miami Heat.
The post Tre Donaldson Could Be Next Undrafted Hero for the Heat appeared first on The Lead .
