The Dallas Mavericks have wasted no time in their offseason and recently traded away Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons in return for Quentin Grimes. Most members of the basketball community will; be aware that the Mavericks managed to make it all the way to the NBA Finals. However, they ended up falling short to the Boston Celtics and lost in 5 games.
As a result, the Mavs are certainly looking to make that one change or upgrade that could help them get the job done next time and this particular trade may have been one that is in the right direction. With that being said, let us take a closer look and find out more.
Tim Hardaway Jr. did not perform well for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals
There were several reasons that the Boston Celtics would be able to defeat the Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. One of the reasons was the fact that the Celtics had a lot more help from their bench players. On the other hand, Tim Hardaway Jr. was scoreless in all but one of the 5 Finals games.
As a result, the Mavericks decided to acquire Quentin Grimes from the Detroit Pistons. In order to make the trade work, Dallas also had to give up 3 future second-round draft picks. This was a trade that the Mavericks chose to make in order to upgrade their bench and improve their roster.
Dallas has traded Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to Detroit for Quentin Grimes, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024
While Hardaway Jr. certainly underperformed in the Finals, some fans may be wondering if Quentin Grimes will be a significant upgrade. Therefore, a comparison between the two of them is important.
Comparing Quentin Grimes and Tim Hardaway Jr.’s statistics and impact
In terms of physical stature, both Grimes and Hardaway Jr. are 6’5 and play the same position. Tim has also proven to be the scorer given that he has averaged 14 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists throughout his career. On the other hand, Grimes has averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his career. Therefore, one might think that the Mavs are making a bad trade.
However, it is important to keep in mind a few other variables. Grimes is only 24 years old while Hardaway is 32. Therefore, the Dallas Mavericks have gotten a young star with room to grow. Moreover, Hardaway required the ball in his hands in order to be effective. That simply would not work in a Dallas Mavericks offense centered around Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.In any case, the Mavs seem to think that Grimes will fit in better with the roster when compared to Tim Hardaway Jr. Only time will tell who will emerge as the winner of this trade.