Miami Heat sign Kansas Jayhawks legend to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have signed Mario Chalmers to a 10-day contract, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Chalmers spent eight of his 10 pro seasons with the Heat, winning the NBA Finals in 2012 and 2013.

Chalmers played his last NBA season as a backup with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2017-18. He recently signed with the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League, making an appearance in two games. He averaged 8.5 points and three assists in those two contests.

The Minnesota Timberwolves selected the point guard out of Kansas in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft. Mario Chalmers was traded to the Miami Heat on draft night and started every game as a rookie. He averaged 10 points, 4.9 assists and two steals during his first season.

The Heat are among one of the hardest hit teams in the NBA with COVID-19 at the moment. They canceled their game Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs as a result of not having enough active players. Point guards Kyle Lowry and Gabe Vincent are among six players in protocols.

Knowing this, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chalmers play heavy minutes during his 10-day contract with the Miami Heat.

The point guard forever holds a place in Jayhawks history after winning a national championship in 2008. He hit a 3-point shot to tie the game at 63 and send it into overtime, where Kansas would overcome Derrick Rose and Memphis.

Although he hasn’t been in the NBA since 2018, Chalmers has continued to play basketball. He played in Greece, Italy and Puerto Rico while also participating in Ice Cube’s Big3 league with other former NBA stars.

Miami is currently 22-13 and four in the Eastern Conference. Heat star Jimmy Butler recently returned from a tailbone injury that kept him sidelined for a few weeks. With the addition of Mario Chalmers, perhaps the Miami Heat can continue to climb up the standings.

The Heat are next set to take on Houston at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.