Let's start this off by discussing the biggest surprise/shock/cause for laughter amongst teams in the NBA and the media. Tim Hardaway Jr. has agreed to a 4 year 71 million dollar deal with the New York Knicks in a move that has been lampooned all over the internet and on TV. I don't know what is worse, the fact that the Knicks gave Hardaway to the Hawks for a first round pick years ago or the fact that they now bring him back at a very high annual salary. Desite all of the heat this move is taking, I like Hardaway for the fact that he called Carmelo Anthony out in the middle of a game for not trying to rebound, which resulted in Anthony threatening to beat him up after the game. Hardaway has spent the last few years in Atlanta and he does some things well, but you can get guys that are similar to Hardaway for cheaper. He had a good season with the Hawks last year and Synergy rates him out as Very Good offensively and defensively. He can attack and he has a decent three point shot, hitting 36% of his threes last season. However, he is leaving a system in Atlanta where ball movement and spacing are so important and going back to a system that has the ultimate ball stopper in Carmelo Anthony. Hardaway Jr. is not a player that can succeed by standing in the corner. He needs to get the ball as the defense is shifting, he needs to be able to move within the offense. It will be interesting to see if he can take some kind of leap with the amount of minutes and pressure that will come his way now. Despite all of these things being said and what I have written, Tim Hardaway Jr. is a good basketball player and if he would have gotten a 4 year 40 million dollar contract, I would love that move, but to get almost 18 million a season, that hurts the Knicks in the short term and the long run. Porzingis seems to be running out of patience with the Knicks and moves like this will not entice him to stay. How long before he pulls a Paul George and wants out? It will be interesting to see what happens with the Knicks before the season starts. Will Carmelo still be on the team? Will Porzingis love that Phil Jackson is gone and commit to the Knicks? The addition of Hardaway can help the Knicks, but at the price of 18 million a season I think they are going to have a hard time turning it around.
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AuthorDennis Dow Archives
October 2017
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