It seems like the Miami Heat are looking to bolster their wing depth, as they have reportedly had talks with the Dallas Mavericks about Tim Hardaway Jr.
According to multiple sources, the Miami Heat & Dallas Mavericks have had initial conversations on a deal involving Tim Hardaway Jr.
This isn't the first time Hardaway Jr has been linked to Miami. He's definitely a name to watch as the deadline approaches.@BasementSportsN
— Adam Borai (@AdamNBorai) January 11, 2023
This isn’t the first time that the veteran has been linked to the Heat. Back in the 2021 offseason, Miami was mentioned as a potential landing spot for Hardaway, who happened to be a free agent then.
Interestingly, he was reportedly “intrigued” by the idea of signing with the franchise. However, nothing came of it, and he opted to remain with the Mavs.
Now, another opportunity may have come for a potential partnership between the two parties. Of course, it is still unclear if Dallas even plans on shopping its part-time starter.
The prolific scorer has been playing for the Mavs since the middle of the 2018-19 campaign. During his tenure with the team, Hardaway has averaged 15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 3-pointers per contest.
His ability to make it rain from the perimeter and create his own shots could certainly provide the Heat with a needed boost on offense.
In the 2022-23 campaign, points have been difficult to come by for Miami. Its 108.8 points per game ranks last in the league. In addition, Hardaway could also help in the 3-point department, as his 36.6 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc this season would rank third on the Heat behind Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin.
However, in order to trade for Hardaway, the Heat might have to pray for the Mavs to want Duncan Robinson in return. Hardaway’s contract is reported to be worth roughly $19.6 million this season, and among the Heat players that have a salary close to that of Hardaway, Robinson seems like the most likely trade candidate.
Furthermore, other organizations could also compete for the 30-year-old’s services, and a bidding war might require the Heat to give up a young prospect or draft capital.
It remains to be seen if Miami will actually target Hardaway in the coming weeks. With the Heat ranking in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference right now, it might be time for the front office to start making moves.
