NBA Rumors: Mavericks Among Teams Waiting For Harkless Buyout

Maurice Harkless was one of the popular names that could be traded before the NBA trade deadline last Feb. 6. To no one's surprise, the 15th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft was part of a deal involving Marcus Morris. When the dust cleared, Harkless ended up with the New York Knicks. However, there is a big chance that he may be bought out.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, there is a good chance that the 26-year-old forward could be suiting up for a playoff contender. If Harkless is waived before Mar. 1, he will be eligible to join any playoff eligible NBA team. Seeing how he hardly seems like a fit to the Knicks plans, a buyout is expected to happen soon.

According to the New York Post, the Knicks are ready to accommodate a buyout if Harkless wants one. From the looks of it, the 6-foot-7 cager is open to anything. He hardly has qualms playing for the Knicks considering he is a native of New York. Since the trade, he has yet to log a single minute with his new team.

Harkless would no doubt be a big fish for teams looking to beef up for the NBA playoffs. So far, only the Dallas Mavericks have been mentioned as interested in 2012 Big East Rookie of the Year. Though his numbers with the Clips are far from his career numbers, perhaps playing for a different team can help him recall his old form. His best year was during the 2016-17 NBA season when he was still with the Portland Trail Blazers. He played in 77 games averaging 10 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per Basketball-Reference.com.

Should the Mavericks or any other NBA team pick up Harkless in the event he is bought out, it could be a short-term deal. Harkless is in the final year of his four-year $42 million contract and is set to earn $11 million this 2019-20 NBA season. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and likely to command a bigger salary.

Depending on his performance whether it be the Knicks, Mavericks or some other ballclub, Harkless' next contract will largely depend on that. He says it hardly matter where he plays, preferring to embrace it as a new opportunity above anything else.