Brooklyn Nets could roll the dice on restricted free agency this summer: Tim Hardaway Jr.
There are many avenues for the Brooklyn Nets to pursue this summer, but general manager Sean Marks could certainly take another shot in restricted free agency. This time, with his eye on Tim Hardaway Jr.
We’re roughly three weeks into the Brooklyn Nets‘ offseason and already there have been discussions about a variety of trade targets, unrestricted and restricted free agents, as well as a slew of international players.
But for general manager Sean Marks, the work in only beginning, as the Nets recently held a free agency mini camp this past week that featured CBA star Jamaal Franklin (who they took in the D-League draft last year) and combo-guard Jordan Lloyd of D-League Mad Ants.
There’s no doubt the Nets are doing their due diligence when it comes to under-the-radar players. But the biggest question is whether Marks will, once again, pursue restricted free agents this summer.
It seems by everything Marks is saying that the ever challenging game of restricted free agency isn’t off-the-table, especially if there’s another young up-and-comer they feel can grow with the contract the Nets would offer.
One potential target? Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway Jr. is an intriguing name to be thrown into the restricted free agency mix, as names such as Washington Wizards small forward Otto Porter Jr. and Detroit Pistons shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have been linked to Brooklyn for quite some time now.
In a season review piece for Soaring Down South, beat writer Andrew Synder detailed some of Hardaway Jr.’s highlights from this past season.
"“This season, Hardaway became the scorer the Hawks knew he could develop into when they acquired him back in 2015. That was thanks in large part to a reshaped body that improved his already exceptional athleticism.“Hardaway wasn’t just a shooter this season. There was an explosiveness to his game that wasn’t there during his first season with Atlanta. Hardaway played in 79 games while playing 27.3 minutes per game. He made 30 starts and was a regular starter by the end of the season.“Hardaway averaged 14.5 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting and 35.7 percent from three-point range. He was Atlanta’s third leading scorer behind Paul Millsap and Dennis Schroder.”"
According to Synder, Hardaway Jr. began to find his role with the Atlanta Hawks, becoming an offensive specialist in a pace-and-space offense.
At a young 25, Hardaway Jr. could be another target the Nets seek to acquire despite the recent development of Caris LeVert. While Hardaway Jr. may not have the length LeVert possesses (one thing the coaching staff looks for in its players), his natural knack for scoring and explosiveness may give Brooklyn that offensive punch they need, allowing for Jeremy Lin to work the pick-and-roll with Brook Lopez while spacing Hardaway on the wings.
I recently sat down with HoopsHabit Hawks writer Brendan Galella to talk about what a potential fit on the Brooklyn Nets would look like.
1. Tim Hardaway Jr. has certainly stepped up his game in Mike Budenholzer offense. How would you describe the elements of his game that fit best with the Hawks’ style of play?
Brendan Galella: Tim Hardaway Jr. was at his best when he was able to sit on the perimeter and wait for a pass out to punish opponents. During his fourth season in the league, and second in Atlanta, Hardaway Jr. knocked down a career-high 149 shots from three-point range, tying him with Gordon Hayward and Wayne Ellington for the 26th most in the league.
Much of the offensive success Hardaway Jr. was able to sustain this season was off the Hawks’ ability to create shots for him. Of his 415 shots made from the field, 264 were off an assist from a teammate (63.5 percent) and that number dramatically increases when he steps behind the arc, as 84.6 percent of his three-point shots came off an assist from a teammate.
2. Tim Hardaway Jr’s impending restricted free agency could see some teams offering the Michigan product some big money. Do you ultimately think he signs an offer sheet with another team? And, if so, what type of contract could give the Hawks pause about matching?
BG: There are plenty of questions facing the Hawks, as it is unclear who will be making the decisions for the team going forward. General manager Wes Wilcox resigned early Friday morning, while Mike Budenholzer also announced he will no longer serve as Atlanta’s president of basketball operations, in an attempt to solely focus on his head coaching duties.
More from Brooklyn Nets
- Why the new-look Brooklyn Nets are guaranteed to surprise
- NBA Trades: This Mavs-Nets deal may lead to Dallas adding a third star
- 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
- 5 NBA players facing do-or-die 2023–2024 seasons
- Is Mikal Bridges the Brooklyn Nets next star?
Much like the uncertainty with the front office, the Hawks were unsure of Hardaway’s position with the team. The 25-year-old guard played in 79 games and averaged 27.3 minutes per game (fifth highest on the team) but he started just 30 games.
The Hawks adjusted their starting lineup during the opening round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, opting to play Hardaway Jr. over Thabo Sefolosha in an attempt to bring more offensive fire power to the starting lineup, but the adjustment barely moved the needle.
Bradley Beal outscored Hardaway Jr. by 78 points in the series, a disparity that becomes more glaring considering Hardaway Jr. totaled 77 points during the six-game series. Hardaway Jr. will land a deal similar to the four-year, $34 million deal E’Twaun Moore landed last season from New Orleans. Hardaway Jr. isn’t a full-time starter and the Hawks would probably let him walk if any team went above $6 million-$7 million a year for him.
3. If the Brooklyn Nets do acquire Tim Hardaway Jr, what type of player are they getting? How do you see him fitting with a point guard like Jeremy Lin, a scoring big-man like Brook Lopez, and a young Michigan product like Caris LeVert?
BG: Hardaway Jr. is a solid scoring option off the bench, but not much else. His shooting is erratic, which led to wild swings in point productivity. Last season, the 6-foot-6 guard scored 25 or more points on eight occasions, but was held to five or fewer points nine times. He shot 60 percent or better 12 times, but was held below 30 percent shooting in 12 other games.
For a Nets team that ranked 28th in offensive rating, the addition of Hardaway Jr. could be a low-cost option to improve the offense, but he shouldn’t be counted upon to carry the team every night.
4. What areas of Tim Hardaway Jr’s game do you see needing the most improvement? What type of personnel around him could potentially strengthen those weaknesses?
BG: The performance of every player becomes magnified during the playoffs, and the obvious weakness of Hardaway Jr. was his defense. Atlanta posted an offensive rating of 86, while its defensive rating was 113, a 27-point disparity. Hardaway Jr. needs to be hidden on defense, which Brooklyn can do for extended periods of time by pairing him with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Opponents routinely tested Hardaway Jr. last season, attempting just under nine shots per game, converting at a 44.2 percent clip, but those averages rose to 47.6 percent in the playoffs. If he is flanked by a pair of strong perimeter defenders, Hardaway Jr. will be able to spend more time on the court. If not, opposing teams will continue to test him.
It seems Galella’s analysis on Hardaway Jr. is one of caution, despite some great offensive outputs at times. He is, however, porous defensively, and may have teams concerned with his intensity on the defensive end. But with Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson spending a season with Hardaway Jr., his confidence in his ability to develop a 25-year-old may be worth the low-cost risk.
Next: The top 10 moments of Paul Pierce's NBA career
If, in fact the Hawks don’t match at a four-year, $34 million deal like the one dished out to E’Twuan Moore Galella last offseason, the Nets would be primed to give Hardaway Jr. a shot.