After a season where they finished last in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons will surely be looking to make upgrades this offseason. Along with having another lottery pick, they are also set to have some of the largest cap space among all NBA teams. With this cap space, the Pistons can sign players in free agency to add alongside their young core. They could be a threat in the trade market since they’re in a position to easily absorb a contract of any size.
As the playoffs roll along, the people at Bleacher Report put together mock trades for teams that didn’t make the postseason. For the Pistons, they land Dallas Mavericks veteran Tim Hardaway Jr. in exchange for a second-round pick.
Hardaway, 32, has made a nice career for himself as a secondary scorer. In 79 games for the Mavericks this season, he averaged 14.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.8 APG off the bench. Hardaway is also a league-average three-point shooter on high volume.
For the cost of just a second-round pick, this theoretical trade could make sense for the Pistons. They’d be bolstering the supporting cast, and Hardaway is a player who could slide in with the starters or second unit.
Outside shooting is a key area of improvement for the Pistons heading into 2025. Seeing that he’s averaged at least seven three-point attempts a game since 2018, Hardaway is someone who can open the floor. His presence could create more room for Cade Cunningham to attack the basket and operate in the mid-range
Another reason why this move benefits the Pistons is that Hardaway Jr. is on an expiring contract. This means they could flip him at the trade deadline for assets, or keep him all season and maintain financial flexibility moving forward. Hardaway is far from a flashy name, but is a complementary piece who could help Detroit in the short term.
