Analysts are betting big on a $17 million wing who could replace a starter for the Boston Celtics.

Isaac Bourne of Dallas Basketball believes that Tim Hardaway Jr. Coming off the Boston Celtics bench would be advantageous for the team; this follows a hypothetical trade from NBA Analysis Network in which the Cs would send Malcolm Brogdon in exchange for the 2013 New York Knicks first-round pick. Bourne also thinks that Derrick White would profit from such a plan.

Bourne began by saying, “As for the Celtics, Hardaway would be a valued scorer in their second unit.
He’d be able to slide in at the backup two spot for a team that only has one true shooting guard on its roster in Jaylen Brown.
Additionally, by moving Brogdon, the Celtics can give Derrick White more playing time now that he has become more active.

The Celtics would receive $5 million in this deal, which is always valuable to a team that recently signed Brown to the largest contract in NBA history.
Hardaway’s 2023–24 base salary is $17 million, while the Celtics’ base salary is $22 million.
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John Tim Hardaway Jr. is too ineffective to be useful on the second Boston Celtics unit.

With only Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic as shot creators for the Mavericks, Hardaway fits in well.
He would be an unnecessary volume scorer for the Boston Celtics, who already have Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick White making opportunities for themselves.
An unnecessary luxury would be having a fifth score-first gunner; however, if the franchise ultimately suffers as a result of getting him, that luxury might no longer be deemed to be so.

For many more years to come, Hardaway will have a place in the NBA, but he most likely doesn’t have one in Boston.

Given that Brogdon still has two years left on his contract, the Celtics would be better off trying to trade him for a player with a contract that is about to expire.
This would allow Brad Stevens to maintain his flexibility as the cap continues to rise and punitive tax penalties for taxpaying teams are quickly approaching.