Mavericks Trade Tim Hardaway Jr. to Pistons for Quentin Grimes

The Dallas Mavericks are trading shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for shooting guard Quentin Grimes, according to multiple reports.

Dallas Mavericks traded Tim Hardaway Jr. in order to use part of the $12.9 million nontaxpayer midlevel exception

Hardaway, 32, is due $16.2 million next season in the final year of a four-year, $75 million contract. Grimes, 24, is slated to make $4.3 million in the final season of his rookie contract.

The trade allows the Mavericks to use part of the $12.9 million nontaxpayer midlevel exception. Dallas had been limited to the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel with Hardaway on the roster.

Last week, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said re-signing starting small forward Derrick Jones Jr. will be one of the team’s offseason top priorities. Jones, the team’s best perimeter defender, played last season on a veteran minimum contract.

Dallas sends a 2025 second via Toronto and two 2028 seconds in the deal, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/JuUa0lEI7O

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024

In 79 games (12 starts) with Dallas of the 2023-24 season, Hardaway averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 26.8 minutes per game while shooting 40.2% from the floor, 35.3% from 3-point range, and 85.2% at the free throw line.

His role was reduced down the stretch of the regular season and throughout the playoffs. The 11-year veteran did not play due to a coach’s decision in four of the Mavs’ last eight games in the Western Conference finals and NBA Finals.

Quentin Grimes appeared in just six games off the bench for the Detroit Pistons this past season

Additionally, Hardaway spent 5½ seasons in Dallas. The 6-foot-5 guard arrived as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the New York Knicks in January 2019. He averaged 15.2 points during his tenure with the Mavericks.

Hardaway finished 18th in 3-pointers (211), ninth in 3-point attempts (597), and sixth in turnover percentage (6.2%) this past season. His 19.3 points-per-game average were his most since averaging a career-high 21.1 PPG with Dallas in the 2020-21 season.

After the Knicks trade, Grimes appeared in just six games off the bench for the Pistons last season because of right knee soreness. In those games, he averaged 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 19.2 minutes per contest.

In 51 games (18 starts) overall in the 2023-24 season, he averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 20.1 minutes per game while shooting career lows of 37.2% from the field and 33.8% from deep.

Grimes has averaged 8.5 points in 168 career games (90 starts) for the Knicks.

With New York this past season, he scored a season-high 19 points in each win over the Toronto Raptors (Dec. 11), Philadelphia 76ers (Jan. 5), and Denver Nuggets (Jan. 25).