The Cleveland Cavaliers are “keeping an eye on” Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. ahead of the trade deadline, according to a Sunday article from Sports Illustrated NBA analyst Grant Afseth.
“The Cavs believe this player is available,” Cleveland.com Cavs reporter Chris Fedor said on the “Please Don’t Aggregate This” podcast. “And my sources tell me that he could be had. It’s again at the right price. And it’s a little bit tricky because he’s on a team that’s fourth place currently in the Western Conference.
“Tim Hardaway Jr. is somebody that the Cavs have been watching and they’ve been keeping an eye on. And I think if the Cavs have their choice, it would be very, very close. And they’re not going to have their choice. It doesn’t work that way. But if they had their choice, it would be between Bojan (Bogdanovic) and Tim Hardaway Jr.”
The 11-year NBA veteran is averaging 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists on a 38.7% field goal percentage for Dallas alongside Mavs guard Luka Dončić. The 30-year-old guard signed a four-year, $70-plus million front-loaded contract with the Mavs in 2021, according to Spotrac. He will earn just over $19.6 million this year before he will take home just under $17.9 million in the 2023-24 season and just under $16.2 million in the 2024-25 season.
Cavs guard Caris LeVert is making just under $18.8 million this year on the final season of a three-year extension he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 on his 25th birthday.
The Cavs were recently rumored to be a trade suitor for Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, but the trade cost would potentially be too high for Cleveland to pay. The 33-year-old forward is shooting 41.8% from the 3-point line and 48.6% from the field.
Cavs forward Cedi Osman was expected to be in trade talks earlier this season, according to NBA HoopsHype writer Michael Scotto.