The offseason is typically marked by players going on vacation to rest and recuperate before the new season. However, for younger players, each day is an opportunity to get better. On that note, many have already started their offseason workouts with their contemporaries. For Miami Heat rookie Tre Donaldson, this period will prove significant.
Tre Donaldson recently joined the likes of Cade Cunningham , Ausar Thompson , Cam Boozer , and other NBA players at an open run. As an undrafted player, Donaldson did not have the same exposure as Boozer, who was drafted third overall. Despite this, the Heat will be more than satisfied with clips from the workout.
Along with Heat teammate Davion Mitchell , Tre Donaldson put on a clinic at the open runs. While confidently dictating tempo on offense, Donaldson demonstrated a versatile skill set and noteworthy shot-making ability, qualities that the Heat may be interested in.
But who exactly is Tre Donaldson?
Tre Donaldson is a 22-year-old guard who played out his senior year at the University of Miami last season. At 6'2″, Donaldson may be considered undersized by typical standards, but the guard's composure and feel for the game are quite impressive.
In his senior year, he averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range. With these figures, the 22-year-old was the second-highest scorer on his team, helping Miami post a 26-9 record (13-5, 3rd in ACC) and qualify for the NCAA tournament. He was also named to the All-ACC second team.
While Donaldson's performance was impressive last season, the guard went undrafted in this year's NBA Draft. For the most part, this could be attributed to his age and the common impression of a lower ceiling at his age. However, the Heat may have found themselves another gem.
After signing a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, the 22-year-old represented the team at the Summer League. In seven appearances for the Heat, Donaldson showed immense promise, as he averaged 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 51.4% from the field and 40.9% from three-point range.
From scoring and ball distribution to on-ball defense, Tre Donaldson possesses all the tools to become the quintessential point guard in Miami's rotation. So how will they implement him?
As constructed, the Miami Heat are an extremely lopsided team this season . Although they are extremely solid in the frontcourt, with the duo of Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the team, Miami's backcourt is quite thin.
Currently, the Heat have placed an immense burden on Davion Mitchell to fulfill the duties of a primary point guard. Given the 27-year-old's offseason conditioning and preparation , there is every reason to believe he will thrive. However, the lack of point guard depth beyond Mitchell is slightly concerning.
While this has pointed to interest in signing a backup point guard, the Heat may not need to look much further. If Tre Donaldson can emulate his impact in college at the next level, Miami may already have their backup in place.
On that note, during an interview with the Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang , Donaldson opened up on his expectations for his rookie season, stating:
"I'm just big on learning. So just learning what it looks like, the new rules and stuff like that, that's different for me. And just being where my feet are, understanding that it's going to be a lot of highs, a lot of lows. But just taking it and learning from it, and then just adding it."
Considering Miami's reputation for transforming role players and relatively lesser-known prospects into key figures in the rotation, there is enough evidence to suggest Donaldson could have a big role to play if he thrives with the team early on.
Realistically, it is too early to speculate how impactful Tre Donaldson will be in Miami's rotation. With only a handful of Summer League games under his belt, the 22-year-old will need more time to find his footing.
Fortunately, the rookie admitted that his teammates have been helping him along the way. Hence, with the right influence and enough opportunities, Donaldson could quietly become a reliable backup point guard option for Miami this season.
