12-Year NBA Veteran Labeled Pistons’ Most Likely Trade Candidate

Should the Detroit Pistons move on from Tim Hardaway Jr.?

Nov 8, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) battles for position with Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) and forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Soon, the NBA will put a cap on the trade market. With the deadline around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before teams begin to make some notable changes.

Around this time last season, only Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson could truly be considered safe on the Detroit Pistons' roster.

As the Pistons were still deep in the rebuild, they played a seller’s role in the market. This time around, things are different. The Pistons still have the cap space to play facilitator for a big trade, but they aren’t as eager to offload the seasoned vets.

However, if the Pistons are going to move a notable name, Bleacher Report suggests the veteran trade acquisition Tim Hardaway Jr. is the most likely trade candidate this year.

“Hardaway is a mega-useful spacer and someone the Pistons may prefer to keep,” BR writes.

“Dangling his $16.2 million in talks also allows them to take back more than $30 million. Tobias Harris' price point functions in the same way, to an even greater degree, but his $26.6 million salary for next season will be a roadblock.”

The Pistons acquired Hardaway at the end of his current four-year deal. Coming from the Dallas Mavericks, Hardaway made $17.8 million one season ago. This year, he’s bringing in $16.1 million. Over the summer, Hardaway will hit the free agency market.

The Pistons certainly shouldn’t be looking to offload Hardaway for the sake of doing so. Since joining the Pistons, he’s been a full-time starter, seeing the court for nearly 30 minutes per game.

Detroit landed on Hardaway while searching for a high-volume three-point scorer to help with the spacing around Cade Cunningham. Hardaway has knocked down 38 percent of his threes on nearly six attempts per game. He is averaging 11 points per game this year.

With the Pistons potentially in the hunt for a playoff berth, Hardaway could be a helpful postseason contributor on a young team that lacks experience.

With five playoff runs under his belt, Hardaway has 42 games of playoff experience. That could be a stat that intrigues contenders around the league, but it’s certainly a reason to consider holding on to Hardaway from Detroit’s perspective as well.

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