BREAKING: Mavericks send their Key Player to Pistons in Massive Post NBA Draft Trade
After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Dallas Mavericks enter the 2024 offseason determined to overcome their final hurdle. They lost the Finals to the Boston Celtics in five games, struggling to be competitive for most of the series. Despite navigating the tough Western Conference to make it to the Finals, the West is expected to be even stronger next season. To return to the Finals, Dallas will need to improve their roster.
Just one day after the NBA Draft, the Mavericks made their first move of the summer by trading long-time guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for guard Quentin Grimes. In addition to Hardaway Jr., Dallas is sending three second-round picks to Detroit to clear Hardaway’s salary. The picks include a 2025 second-rounder originally from the Toronto Raptors and two 2028 second-round picks.
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
Grimes averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, splitting his time between the Pistons and New York Knicks. However, these numbers don’t fully reflect his potential, especially since he only played six games with Detroit. Grimes is a solid defender and a capable three-point shooter. Before being traded to the Pistons, he shot 36.3 percent from beyond the arc, a skill the Mavericks will fully utilize.
Having a player like Grimes adds another shooter to the Mavericks, complementing stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. While Hardaway Jr. was also a shooter, his inconsistency became too much for Dallas to handle. Hardaway Jr. was set to make $16.2 million this season, the final year of a four-year contract. In contrast, Grimes will earn $4.3 million in the last year of his rookie contract.
This trade positions Dallas to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr., a key player in their run to the NBA Finals. With Hardaway Jr. off the salary cap, the Mavericks now have part of a $12.9 million nontaxpayer midlevel exception to use. Before the deal, they were limited to the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception. While this trade might seem minor on the surface, it has significant implications for the Mavericks’ offseason strategy.