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Wolverines in the NBA: Tim Hardaway Jr., Duncan Robinson on the move in free agency

clayton-sayfieby: Clayton Sayfie07/01/25CSayf23
Duncan Robinson Tim Hardaway Jr.
Former Michigan Wolverines basketball players Duncan Robinson and Tim Hardaway Jr. are standing out in the NBA. (Photo by Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Two former Michigan Wolverines basketball standouts — Tim Hardaway Jr. and Duncan Robinson — are headed to new teams during free agency. Hardaway signed with the Denver Nuggets after spending last season with Detroit, while Robinson was dealt from the Heat to the Pistons as part of a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for Simone Fontecchio.

Hardaway inked a one-year agreement with Denver worth an undisclosed amount. The 33-year-old is coming off a four-year, $75 million contract that ended at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

Robinson, meanwhile, declined his $20 million early termination option to become a free agent. The 31-year-old has now agreed to a three-year, $48 million deal with the Pistons, per ESPN.

Hardaway was a starter on a Detroit team that made the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and went six games with the New York Knicks but fell in the first round.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder registered 11 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while connecting on 40.6 percent of his shots from the field and 36.8 percent of his 5.9 three-point tries per game.

A former Division III transfer (Williams), Robinson began his career as an undrafted free agent but rose to starter in the 2020 NBA Finals and signed a five-year, $90 million deal — with $80 million guaranteed — in 2021.

The 6-foot-7, 215-pounder has been up and down in recent seasons — due in part to injuries — but still appeared in 74 games with 37 starts in 2024-25, recording 11 points, 2.4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per clash. He shot 43.7 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range, averaging 24.1 minutes per game.

Detroit desperately needed shooting and spacing to help out star point guard Cade Cunningham — a third-team All-NBA standout last season — especially after Hardaway left for Denver and it was reported that guard Malik Beasley is the subject of a federal gambling investigation.

Robinson will reunite with his former Michigan teammate — guard Caris LeVert — in Detroit. The two played together for three seasons from 2014-16. LeVert just agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal with the franchise, after spending last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks (traded to Atlanta at the deadline).

Both LeVert and Robinson had major success at Michigan, most notably in the NCAA Tournament. LeVert was a bench piece on a team that made the national championship game in 2013 and helped the Maize and Blue reach the Elite eight in 2014. Robinson, meanwhile, was a part of two Big Ten Tournament title squads (2017, ’18) and played a key role on the 2018 team that appeared in the national title game. They’ll bring that winning pedigree to Detroit, while Hardaway will join a Denver organization that won the NBA title only in 2023. He was a starter on Michigan’s 2013 team and has made deep postseason runs during his NBA journey.

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