Rumors: Mavericks zeroing in on trading veteran guard to make even bigger move

The 2024 NBA offseason began less than a week ago, and the Dallas Mavericks are a team that has heavily been involved in news and rumors.

Dallas was linked as a possible suitor for Tobias Harris yesterday, and they've also shown interest in drafting Bronny James with the No. 58 overall pick.

The Mavs are receiving tons of buzz following their impressive run to the 2024 NBA Finals, and the newest trade rumor involves one of their veteran guards who they've been trying to get rid of for years.

Mavericks pursuing Tim Hardaway Jr. trade to make re-signing Derrick Jones Jr. easier

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavs "will promptly resume their long-running search for a trade partner to take Hardaway on (subscription required), which is more likely than ever to come to fruition." Stein reasons that this trade is more likely to happen now due to Hardaway Jr. being on an expiring contract, and this move is part of the puzzle for the Mavs to make an even bigger move.

Stein said that trading Hardaway Jr. is a "a key element" of Dallas' plan to retain Derrick Jones Jr., as he is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Jones Jr. was key for the Mavs during the playoffs, and Dallas GM Nico Harrison said that keeping Jones Jr. on the Mavs is their biggest priority this summer.

Hardaway Jr.'s days in Dallas looked numbered long before the Finals began, and this report by one of the most trusted NBA insiders on the planet solidifies that. This doesn't guarantee that Hardaway Jr. will be traded this summer, but it does mean that the Mavs are going to do what they can to move him elsewhere.

Hardaway Jr. had his moments last season as he averaged 14.4 points while shooting 35.3 percent from downtown, but his struggles down the stretch were unbearable to watch. He struggled to make an impact for multiple months, and his father even went as far as to say that the Mavs would trade Hardaway Jr. this summer.

The entire Hardaway Jr. situation in Dallas has been a problem for a while now, and the Mavs trading him could allow them to give Jones Jr. a nice raise to keep him in Dallas. Jones Jr. was a key starter for the Mavs for most of the season, and keeping him as a Maverick is a much bigger move than people realize.

For all the latest on Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., and the Dallas Mavericks this summer, stay tuned as we'll have you covered.