Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is entering unrestricted NBA free agency on a high note. The 2013 first-round pick had one of the better seasons in his eight-year career and should be able to land another lucrative contract this summer.
In 70 games, 31 starts, Hardaway Jr. averaged 16.6 points per game, knocking down 39.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. He added 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game as well.
Oftentimes throughout the regular season, and especially in the playoffs, it was Hardaway Jr., not Kristaps Porzingis, who was stepping up as the sidekick to superstar, Luka Doncic. That is certainly not what Dallas envisioned when they made that trade with the New York Knicks two years ago.
Not only is the future of Porzingis with Dallas up in the air, as the team reportedly made some calls before the NBA trade deadline, but they may lose Hardaway Jr. as well.
READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 4 potential replacements for Tim Hardaway Jr. if he departs the Mavericks
There should be no shortage of suitors for Hardaway Jr. He has proven to be a multidimensional scoring threat, whether it be off the bench as a sixth man or in the starting lineup. While he will never be an All-NBA defender, he has at least made strides on that end of the court.
One team to keep an eye on in free agency is the Miami Heat. According to Greg Sylvander of 5 Reasons Sports, Hardaway Jr. is intrigued by the idea of landing in Miami and would love to join the Heat.
Hardaway Jr. would be a strong fit in Miami, as they need another player that can create offense for themselves. He would help take some of that pressure off of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. If Miami is unable to retain Duncan Robinson, Hardaway Jr. is an excellent replacement.
READ MORE: NBA Rumors: Miami Heat could be potential suitor for Tim Hardaway Jr. in offseason
Miami is also where his father, Tim Hardaway Sr., spent parts of six seasons as the starting point guard, so he has some familiarity with the organization already.
