3 Mavericks Playing Their Final Postseason in Dallas

Tim Hardaway Jr.

The 32-year-old shooting guard has been an important piece for the Dallas Mavericks over the past six seasons. A reliable offensive weapon who can score on all three levels while being a dangerous shooting threat beyond the arc, he has been one of the better sixth-man options in the NBA.

However, he is not the best fit for a team trying to win an NBA championship. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a defensive liability as he struggles to guard out on the perimeter, and is undersized to defend forwards. He doesn't provide help defense or make plays on that end via steals, deflections, or blocks.

This makes Hardaway Jr. a one-trick pony; a volume shooter and a scorer off-the-bench. And he simply hasn't been good enough on his one trick to warrant the playing time and contract he is on. In the 2023-24 season, Hardaway Jr. is shooting 40.4% from the field and 35.5% from three. He is excellent at generating shots but not so good at making them.

He is scheduled to make over $16 million next season to be an inefficient offensive player who doesn't do anything else.

When your team has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, you don't need more shot creation. One of those players will be on the court at all times when it matters anyway. You need players who can defend and shoot. Hardaway Jr. never did the former and is struggling to do the latter this season. Trade his expiring contract for a better-fitting player is the right move.