Getty Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers takes the ball to the basket during a 2015 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mario Chalmers’ return to the Miami Heat was undoubtedly one of the feel-good stories of the year for longtime fans of the club. After all, the 35-year-old had played a key role in helping the Heat’s Big 3 bring two titles to South Beach during the 2010s and he was also getting his first taste of NBA basketball in over three years.
Once the initial excitement surrounding his homecoming wore off, though, the remainder of his tenure offered little to write home about. Chalmers’ hardship stay came and went with the baller never having set foot on the court in an actual game.
In the wake of his 10-day contract’s expiration, fans were left to wonder what would become of their old fave. Would he get another bite at pro hoops in the US or would he resume his playing career abroad, where he had plied his trade for the last two years?
On Friday, Heat Nation received its answer.
Chalmers Is Returning to the G League
Per an announcement from the club, Chalmers has officially been acquired by the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. The team pulled the Heat alum from the available player pool.
It’s expected that Chalmers will be available to play when the Skyforce tip-off their weekend home series against the Memphis Hustle.
Of course, this isn’t Chalmers’ first taste of developmental league action this season. In an effort to get himself into the 10-day/hardship mix, he joined up with the Grand Rapids Gold for their stint in the 2021 G League Winter Showcase.
He went on to appear in two games for the club, averaging 8.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
Although Chalmers was hopeful that he could remain with the Heat through the end of the 2021-22 campaign, the G League may be the best spot for him. Before joining the Gold, he had last played for Indios de Mayaguez in Puerto Rico, where he put up just 4.7 points per contest on 21.7% shooting over three games.
With the Skyforce, he may get an actual opportunity to get on the floor and work his way back into form while staying on the NBA radar.
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Chalmers’ Heat Career
After starring at Kansas, where he became a bona fide NCAA Tournament hero and a national champion, Chalmers was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 34th pick in the 2008 draft. However, his rights were immediately traded to the Heat.
He went on to start in all 82 games for Miami as a rookie, averaging 10.0 points, 4.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per contest. His efforts would net him All-Rookie Second Team honors that season.
From that point, he continued to be a solid hand for head coach Erik Spoelstra and the Heat, starting at the point more often than not and helping the franchise win its titles in 2012 and 2013. Over parts of eight seasons with the club, he appeared in 525 games (starting 383 of them) and logged an 8.8-3.8-2.4-1.5 line.
As of this writing, he ranks first in franchise history in steal percentage (2.9), second in total steals (791), fourth in games played, fourth in assists (2004) and fourth in three-point field goals (657).
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Heat Fave, 2x NBA Champ Finds Next Basketball Home