The Heat Keep Making Moves This Offseason
The Miami Heat are certainly not hitting the brakes this offseason.
In fact, just a week after acquiring superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, they’ve finalized a one-year, $6.5 million deal with Tim Hardaway Jr., as reported by Shams Charania from ESPN. This news broke on Tuesday.
Interestingly, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer had previously noted that Hardaway was among the players the Heat were prioritizing during this offseason.
At 34, Hardaway spent the last season with the Nuggets. His career has seen him traverse through several teams, including the Knicks, Hawks, Mavericks, and Pistons.
After playing three years at the University of Michigan—where he consistently scored more than 13 points in every game—Hardaway was selected by the Knicks in the 2013 NBA Draft. His initial time with New York was a bit of a mixed bag; he showcased some impressive long-range shooting but often struggled with consistency. He averaged nearly 11 points per game during his first two years.
Two seasons in Atlanta followed, after which he returned to the Knicks for a second spell from 2017 to 2019. His minutes increased there, though his efficiency was sometimes lacking. Oddly enough, during the Knicks’ dismal 17-65 season in 2018-19, he posted a career-high of 19.1 points per game, albeit on a shooting percentage of just 38.8.
Following that, Hardaway became a staple with the Mavericks, teaming up with Luka Doncic from 2019 to 2024. During his time there, he developed into a reliable 3-point shooter, consistently scoring between 14 to 17 points each season.
More recently, after one year with the Pistons, Hardaway averaged 13.5 points per game with the Nuggets last season, though he only started six games.
His addition brings a crucial shooting component to a front-heavy Heat lineup that includes Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Bobby Portis, and Andrew Wiggins. Following their defeat to the Hornets in the play-in round, the Heat are actively looking to bolster their roster and compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
