Mavs’ Tim Hardaway Jr. Available; Cavs Just Need to Decide if Trade is Worth It

January 9, 2023

A trade for Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. is “essentially up to” the Cavaliers, and whether Cleveland is willing to take on his salary, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Cavs were first linked to Hardaway by Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, as we relayed here.

Both Hoops Wire and Stein confirmed the Cavs’ interest in Hardaway, with Stein writing that the Cavs only need to decide if they want to take on the two years and $34.1 million left on Hardaway’s deal.

As Hoops Wire did, Stein mentioned guard/forward Caris LeVert as someone who could help the Cavs facilitate a deal for Hardaway (or perhaps others).

“LeVert’s expiring $18.8 million contract is the simplest match for Hardaway, who has emerged from a very slow start to shoot 40.5% from 3-point range in 21 games entering Sunday’s play since Mavericks coach Jason Kidd moved him into the starting lineup,” Stein wrote.

That said, the Cavs are hardly feeling desperate to make a trade — and president of basketball operations Koby Altman isn’t about to blow up the roster for any one player, as we wrote earlier.

But if they believe Hardaway or another wing could take them up a notch, and if they can get that player without surrendering a whole lot, you can be sure Altman will pull the trigger on another trade before the Feb. 9 deadline.

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