The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to trade Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for Quentin Grimes, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Hardaway Jr., who has been with the Mavericks for the past six seasons after being acquired in a trade with the New York Knicks, is under contract for next season and is owed $16.2 million. He averaged 14.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game during the regular season.
Grimes, on the other hand, spent part of his first three NBA seasons with the Knicks before being traded to Detroit in February. Injuries limited him to just six games with the Pistons after the trade. He is owed $4.3 million as he enters the final season of his rookie contract.
This trade is seen as a cap-clearing move for the Mavericks, who are looking to create space to make additional moves in the offseason. According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, the Mavericks plan to use part of their $12.9 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr. Dallas GM Nico Harrison stated that re-signing Jones, a 27-year-old forward, is a top priority for the team.
Jones is the only player in the Mavericks’ rotation who is not currently signed for the 2024-25 NBA season, making his re-signing crucial for the team’s future plans. Harrison emphasized that the team is committed to doing whatever it takes to keep Jones in Dallas, citing his fit with the team and his desire to stay with the organization.