Could we see another former NBA veteran return to the league after a few years out?
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This is everything we know about the Mario Chalmers situation:
Mario Chalmers returning to the NBA?
It’s certainly possible, but for now, the former two-time NBA champion is signing with Grand Rapids Gold, the G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets.
Two-time Miami Heat champion Mario Chalmers is signing with Grand Rapids Gold, the Denver Nuggets’ G League affiliate, and will play in the G League Showcase (Dec. 19-22), according to sources. @Athletic @Stadium.
– Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2023
Participation in the G League Showcase will give the 6-foot-2 point guard a chance to show that he is still capable of playing in the NBA.
If you impress, it could accelerate your return to the league in a similar way to how Isaiah Thomas did. Thomas signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Los Angeles Lakers just days after losing 42 points for the Gold in his G League debut.
Grand Rapids Gold will face the NBA G League Ignite on Sunday, December 19, with the kickoff scheduled for 9:00 pm. (ET).
MORE: NBA Hardship Exception Explained
When was the last time you played Mario Chalmers in the NBA?
Chalmers last played in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2017-18 season, when he played 66 games with averages of 7.7 points, 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds on shooting of 37.9 / 27.7 / 85.5.
The 2017-18 season was Chalmers’ ninth in the league. Since then, he has played internationally in Greece (AEK Atenas, Aris) and Italy (Virtus Bologna, Indios de Mayagüez). He has also participated in the BIG 3.
What are Mario Chalmers’ NBA stats?
Chalmers played just over eight seasons of his NBA career with the Miami Heat, the franchise that acquired him just after the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him with the 34th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
In his time with the South Florida franchise, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds on shooting 42.2 / 36.0 / 77.6.
He was the starting point guard during the Heat’s successful four-year career from 2010 to 2014, which included two championships in 2012 and 2013.
What is the NBA G League showcase?
The 2023 G League Showcase features a single elimination tournament in which eight teams will compete for the Showcase Cup Championship.
The fight to be part of the eight-team Showcase Cup field began on November 5, when the 29 teams from the G League and NBA G League Ignite split into four regional groups, playing 12 matches against each other in local markets. of the NBA G League.
The teams with the best winning percentages in each regional group, along with the next four league teams with the best winning percentages, will play for the Showcase Cup Championship during the Winter Showcase. The remaining teams will each play two games outside of the Showcase Cup Tournament during the event.
The field is now ready for the G League Showcase Cup, with the “regional group” concluding on December 17.
The Delaware Blue Coats earned the top seed in the Showcase Cup, followed by the Maine Celtics (2) and Rio Grande Valley Vipers (3) completing the top three seeds. The South Bay Lakers (4), Wisconsin Herd (5), Oklahoma City Blue (6), Motor City Cruise (7) and Fort Wayne Mad Ants (8) make up the rest of the field in the single-elimination tournament.
The G League Showcase will begin on Sunday, December 19 and conclude on Wednesday, December 22.
The team scouts and executives will be present to evaluate the players.