The Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to a trade that would sent Quentin Grimes to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks, per ESPN senior insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Dallas sends a 2025 second via Toronto and two 2028 seconds in the deal, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/JuUa0lEI7O
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024
Wojnarowski adds that they’ll be receiving a 2025 second-round pick via the Toronto Raptors and two 2028 second-round picks. As the 2025 NBA Draft has one of the more highly regarded classes, that pick could be particularly valuable.
Pistons, Mavs Complete Offseason Trade
This moves also clears the way for Dallas to offer Derrick Jones Jr. a significant portion of the $12.9 million non-taxpayers mid-level exception. Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison considers re-signing the athletic 3-and-D forward to be “priority 1A and 1B” this offseason.
This move positions the Mavs to offer a significant part of the $12.9M nontaxpayer midlevel exception to Derrick Jones Jr. GM Nico Harrison has called re-signing Jones “priority 1A and 1B” for the offseason. https://t.co/s3C87V6PqQ
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 28, 2024
Though Dallas’s primary offseason goal may be bringing back Jones, they were likely glad to move Hardaway to do it.
In essence, the Mavs killed two birds with one stone. Coming off of his worst postseason run in eight years, Hardaway played just 12.7 minutes per game. His inability to convert his 3s more efficiently made it difficult for the Mavs to give him more minutes. The natural defensive concerns of playing him alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving was another issue. Ultimately, it became clear that he should be replaced in the rotation as soon as possible.
In acquiring Grimes, they now have a wing who they can play beside Doncic, Irving, or both with worrying about his defense. He’s also an effective 3-point threat, converting 37.1 percent of his career 3s. Though he’s coming off of a down season, the Mavs will empower him to launch from deep. To that point, as Grimes’s biggest obstacle has been his confidence and assertiveness, he could thrive in Dallas.
On the Pistons’ side, they have a starting-caliber shooting guard who’s a bit more athletic than veteran Evan Fournier. Frankly, he’s a great on-court fit, as Detroit needs to load up on off-ball shooters. Though his age places him outside of the Pistons’ timeline, he’s the type of veteran that Detroit’s youngsters should learn from. In terms of his intangibles, his professionalism, consistency, and experience could make him a locker room leader.
