Tim Hardaway Sr. Says No. 10 Will Stay Retired as Son Joins Heat

Tim Hardaway Jr. is not expected to wear No. 10 with the Miami Heat because Tim Hardaway Sr. says his retired number should remain off limits. The elder Hardaway made clear that his son’s arrival in Miami does not change the status of the jersey hanging in the rafters.

According to ESPN, Hardaway Jr. agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Heat, with the contract detail attributed to sources. The move adds another perimeter shooter to a Miami roster described in the report as being reshaped around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The number carries particular weight in Miami. Hardaway Sr. spent five seasons with the Heat from 1996 to 2001, earned two All-Star selections during that run, and had his No. 10 retired by the franchise in 2009. ESPN notes that the number had not been used by a Heat player since his departure in 2001.

Hardaway Jr. has run into similar number issues before, with No. 10 also retired by the Knicks for Walt Frazier and by the Pistons for Dennis Rodman. ESPN reports he is expected to use No. 11 in Miami, though the source does not cite an official team announcement on that jersey choice.