Former Dallas Mavericks Veteran Reacts to Trade to Detroit Pistons

Tim Hardaway Jr. went to social media to express his feelings on getting traded to the Detroit Pistons.

May 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and center Dereck Lively II (2) and forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) look on during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

It appears Tim Hardaway Jr. is looking forward to his change of scenery.

The former Dallas Mavericks guard took to X on Friday to celebrate the recent trade between the Mavs and the Detroit Pistons.

Next season, Hardaway is expected to return to the state where he played his college hoops.

Deeeeeeeetroit Basketball!!!!

— Tim Hardaway Jr (@T_HardJR) June 28, 2024

From 2010 to 2013, Hardaway played at Michigan. When he entered the 2013 NBA Draft, Hardaway was selected by the New York Knicks during the first round. The 24th overall pick spent the first two seasons of his NBA career in the Big Apple.

Ahead of the 2015-2016 season, Hardaway was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. Once again, Hardaway had a two-year run with a team before returning to New York. When the Knicks offered Hardaway $71 million across four years, the Hawks refused to match.

The Knicks kept Hardaway for two more years before trading him away in 2019. As the Knicks and the Mavs struck a blockbuster deal, Hardaway found himself moved to Dallas, where he stuck around for six seasons.

Hardaway’s time with the Mavs will end following a 79-game effort in 2023-2024. For the third season in a row, Hardaway averaged 14 points. He drained 35 percent of his threes, and hit on 85 percent of his free throws.

In Dallas, Hardaway was mostly utilized as a bench player. On a rebuilding Pistons team, he could compete for a spot in the starting five. He brings over 730 games of experience to the table. For a team that could use veteran experience, Hardaway has played in rebuilding situations as well as competitive ones. Just recently, he helped the Mavs during their 2024 Western Conference Finals victory, which concluded with a loss in the NBA Finals.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Hardaway lands in Detroit, along with multiple second-round picks. In addition to the draft compensation, the Mavericks acquired Quentin Grimes. Just last season, the Pistons traded for Grimes in a deadline deal with the New York Knicks.

Most of Grimes’ tenure involved injury recovery. With the Mavericks, he lands on a playoff contender, offering Grimes an opportunity to bounce back after a tough season full of injuries.

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