Detroit Pistons Trade for Tim Hardaway Jr. (and picks)

My RAW notes on THJ from the Dallas Mavericks games I watched this past season.

‘23-24 SEASON

14.4 PPG - 3.2 RPG - 1.8 APG - 0.5 SPG - 0.1 BPG - 0.9 TOPG (26.8 MPG - 79 GP - 12 Games Started)

40.2% on 12.4 FGA - 35.3% on 7.6 3PA - 85.2% on 2.1 FTA

LAST 5 SEASONS

15.1 PPG - 3.4 RPG - 1.9 APG - 0.6 SPG - 0.1 BPG - 0.9 TOPG (28.8 MPG - 333 GP - 166 Games Started)

41.8% on 12.5 FGA - 37.5% on 7.5 3PA - 80.7% on 2.4 FTA

CONTRACT

• 16.2M in ‘24-25

• UFA in 2025

RAW SCOUT NOTES FROM DALLAS MAVERICKS GAMES I WATCHED LAST SEASON (in order from start of the season to the end)

vs Grizzlies

• THJ jumper is looking SMOOTH

  • Numbers are still just okay

  • 42% from the field and 38% from 3 on 8 attempts

  • 21 points on 14 attempts

• Seemed like they knew Grizz would hard hedge so they used their shooters as ball screeners for Luka

  • Williams and then THJ

vs Nuggets

• THJ continues to impress and continues to get buckets

vs Clippers

• THJ seems VITAL for this teams success in terms of a 3rd scorer (this obviously turned out not to be true in the playoffs - 3rd leading scorer in regular season and 8th in the playoffs)

  • AND HE IS JACKING SHOTS

vs Rockets

• THJ might have more freedom than any player off the bench in the NBA

vs Clippers

• THJ actually had multiple impactful plays with active hands

  • Decent job overall on Harden (Harden makes some silly shots)

vs Cavs

• THJ starting is interesting, I know you can stagger, but just like his role off the bench where he can just come in and be a gunner

vs Knicks

• THJ greenlight is AMAZING and he can get you buckets in a multitude of ways

  • He just comes in looking aggressively and confidently score the ball

vs Hawks

• THJ was not good all game (broadcast straight up calls him out) BUT

  • Ultimate confidence as he hits a big 3 in the mid 4th

  • Another one with just over 3 minutes left

vs 76ers

• THJ has been huge for them off the bench all year with his scoring but is averaging less than 10 PPG over his last 11 GP

  • Still getting his shots up, have talked multiple times about the “green light” he has but he is not making shots in this one

vs Pistons

• THJ still 3rd in the NBA in points per game off the bench even with his struggles the past 10+ games

  • Of course he is making shots in this game and when he is making shots it’s huge for their offense (doesn’t change their defense)

vs Nuggets

• THJ production has to get back to a consistent level

  • 18 PPG on 42-37 in first 46 GP

  • 9.4 PPG on 35-33 in last 19 GP

vs Warriors

• THJ still has not averaging over 10 PPG since Feb. 1st

  • 36-34 shooting splits

  • Man, this was a rough performance……and then…..

  • Did have a big time DREB with under 30 seconds to play

    • AND the game winning assist to Washington

    • LOVE seeing guys respond and make the plays like this when the stakes are the highest, good for him

vs Heat

• THJ in the playoffs is fascinating to me

  • Does he start making shots? Do they shorten the rotation if he doesn’t? Do they go with someone else?

  • Transition pull 3PM that puts them up by 20

    • Misses his next few though a couple of them are decent looks

• Interesting graphic that showed the Mavs yearly PACE under Kidd

  • Last, to 28th to 6th this season

  • 20 first half fast break points was the most in any half this season for them

  • (I add this because I feel like the Pistons have currently built a team to play fast and in transition)

PLAYOFF NUMBERS (I had almost no notes as you can imagine)

• 4.4 PPG on 38-35 shooting splits and 12.7 MPG

• Previous 3 Playoff Runs

  • 15.9 PPG on 39-35 shooting splits and 35.1 MPG (ATL in ‘16-17, DAL in ‘19-20 and DAL in ‘20-21)