The Miami Heat just acquired Ethan Thompson ahead of the new NBA season, and the G-League sensation might be another diamond in the rough for them.
The Miami Heat are entering the 2025-26 NBA season knowing that they won’t be competitive at a high level. After the Heat lost Jimmy Butler in February, they haven’t been able to find their next star.
Pat Riley did make one big move, as the Heat landed Norman Powell in a three-team trade. While Powell is a great player, the Heat will feel hard done by losing Kevin Durant.
But they might not have to wait too long for the superstar. The Heat can sign Durant and LeBron James in free agency next year.
In the meantime, Erik Spoelstra will want to develop his roster. And to do so, they’ve just added a star from the G-League to their training camp roster.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesMiami Heat sign Ethan Thompson to Exhibit-10 contract
The Miami Heat have signed NBA G-League star Ethan Thompson to an Exhibit-10 contract, which will keep him on their roster for their training camp.
Thompson was last with the Orlando Magic’s G-League unit, the Osceola Magic. They traded his returning rights to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G-League unit.
The Heat could have signed him for financial reasons. They are set to play the Orlando Magic in a preseason game in Puerto Rico.
Thompson is a Puerto Rico native, even going first overall in the 2024 BSN draft last year. Having a local player could help the Heat and Magic draw a large audience for their game.
After years of struggling to get a spot on an NBA roster, perhaps this could be the season that Thompson makes it to the league.
Ethan Thompson has been a G-League journeyman
After four years at Oregon State, including his senior year, where he averaged 15.7 points per game, Thompson entered the 2021 NBA Draft.
Unfortunately for him, Thompson went undrafted. But he would sign with the Chicago Bulls’ G-League team, the Windy City Bulls. From there, he would represent the Mexico City Capitanes and the Osceola Magic.
In his G-League career, Thompson has averaged 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. If the Heat can bring out the best in him, he could be an NBA-level player for them.
The Miami Heat have a long history of discovering gems in the G-League and turning them into solid NBA prospects.
The Heat know that, right now, youth development and building a strong core is vital. And if Thompson can impress officials during his Exhibit-10 stint, he could finally earn an NBA contract with the Heat.