Tre Donaldson is making his case the hard way, and that usually plays well in Miami.
The undrafted rookie guard has spent the preseason showing exactly why the Heat gave him a two-way deal: he can defend, he can see the floor, and he can make life easier for everybody else around him. That combination has already put him on the radar in a backcourt that is still sorting itself out.
Donaldson’s best moment so far came Thursday in Miami’s 128-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, when he poured in 12 points on 62.5 percent shooting and added two assists in 15 minutes. All of it came in the second half. For a player trying to force his way into a rotation, that kind of burst matters.
At Friday’s practice media availability, Donaldson talked about how his role at Miami was shaped by head coach Jai Lucas.
“My job was just different,” Donaldson told MiamiRoundtable exclusively at Friday’s practice media availability. “Just understanding that’s what I do best.
My playmaking and ability to make the other four guys on the floor better is what I do best. Coach Lucas helped me pull that out with the highest ability and I just had to take that and bring it here.”
That playmaking was a big part of why Donaldson entered the league with real buzz despite going undrafted. He turned in a strong final college season with the Hurricanes, averaging 16.4 points on 45.4 percent shooting, along with 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals across 35 games, 33 of them starts. He also arrived in Coral Gables with championship experience already on his résumé, having won a Big 10 title at Michigan and an SEC title at Auburn.
The production at Miami was different, though, and the Hurricanes asked more of him. Donaldson said Lucas helped bring out the parts of his game that made him more than just a scorer. That showed up in a season where he had five games with at least 10 assists, something he had not done at his previous college stops.
He was also a key piece of Miami’s 26-9 turnaround and its return to March Madness. The team did not reach the Sweet 16, but the season still marked the beginning of a new standard in Coral Gables.
The Heat have a long track record of uncovering players others missed and turning them into useful NBA pieces, and Donaldson fits that mold. He shares some traits with starter Davion Mitchell: both are undersized guards who have to win with defense and toughness.
Miami has also been looking for more playmaking depth, and Donaldson may already be part of the answer. His two-way contract lets him appear in up to 50 regular-season games, and he could also spend time with the Skyforce in Sioux Falls, the Heat’s G League affiliate.
Still, there may be a path to a faster look. Veteran Dru Smith suffered a right calf strain during training camp at Florida Atlantic University, and that opens another door for Donaldson as Miami searches for help behind Mitchell.
Opening Day is nearly two weeks away, on Oct. 20, and Donaldson has time to keep stacking performances. So far, he has given the Heat plenty to think about.
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Dennis Smith Jr. is part of that shuffle as well, and the Heats willingness to cycle him through the system shows how much attention they are paying to bench depth and organizational flexibility. At the same time, Miami still has broader roster questions hanging over it, including ongoing trade interest around Kyrie Irving and decisions involving Myron Gardner and Nick Richards, which keeps the bench picture from feeling settled just yet. [Read more 🡒]