DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - It's official. Tim Hardaway Jr. has opted into the final year of his contract with the Mavericks, according to multiple reports. Hardaway will earn $18.975 million in 2020-2021.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon was the first to report the news.
Hardaway's decision to opt in isn't a surprise as there aren't many teams (four to be exact) who have money to spend in free agency this offseason. Most teams are waiting another year for when several key free agents hit the market, and now Hardaway will join the fray next offseason.
The 28-year-old has undergone a resurgence alongside Mavericks star point guard Luka Doncic. He averaged 15.8 points per game on 43.4% shooting from the field. Hardaway also connected on nearly 40% of his three-pointers last season.
For his part, Hardaway recently told 105.3 The Fan that he wanted to remain in Dallas.
"The goal for me, yes, is to return as a Dallas Maverick. That's the goal. Everybody knows how much I love Dallas. How much I want to be apart of the organization. How much I've built those relationships with those guys and people around the community. Yes, that is the plan. And hopefully the plan goes accordingly. I just have to talk to my agent and let him figure it all out. We will have that answer when the time comes, but you guys know where my heart is at."
As currently constructed, the Mavericks could roll out a starting lineup that looks like this: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Josh Richardson and Kristaps Porzingis/Dwight Powell.