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New York Knicks: This is Tim Hardaway Jr.’s Time to Shine

By Maxwell Ogden

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The 2014-15 NBA regular season is one that a vast majority of New York Knicks fans hope they can soon forget. Just two years removed from winning 54 games, the Knicks are a dreadful 10-45.

While all hope appears lost, there’s one player who should view this as the opportunity of a lifetime: second-year shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.

Amongst active Knicks players, Hardaway Jr. is the No. 2 scorer on the roster at 11.1 points per game. That’s not the most prolific scoring mark, but it’s a promising start with vast opportunities ahead.

Unfortunately, he’s seen a decline in field goal, 3-point and free throw percentage from 2013-14 to 2014-15.

With Carmelo Anthony sidelined for the rest of the 2014-15 season and pass-first point guard Jose Calderon serving as the most proven available commodity on the roster, it’s time for Hardaway Jr. to step up and shine.

After all, he is the resident veteran.

A sad, but harsh reality that the second-year shooting guard qualifies in that regard.

Hardaway Jr. is currently converting at .387/.335/.825, which is down from .428/.363/.828 as a rookie. That level of inefficiency is partially bred by his surroundings, but it’s concerning nonetheless.

If Hardaway Jr. is to be seen as the future at shooting guard, he needs to do more than he has.

Anthony will return in 2015-16 and a revamped Knicks roster will follow. With a lottery pick and mountains of cap space, many expect Phil Jackson to flood his rotation with star-caliber players.

After a promising 2013-14 campaign, it’s become fair to question where Hardaway Jr. fits in.

The only thing that’s known is that Hardaway Jr., a high-character player, wants to fit in.

It’s on he and the coaching staff to make it happen.

The general consensus amongst Knicks fans following his rookie season was that he would replace J.R. Smith in the rotation. His defense was lackluster, but Hardaway Jr. showed sharpshooting ability and a good feel for transition offense.

Per NBA.com, he’s only converting 34.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot jump shots in 2014-15. That’s down from a mark of 38.1 percent in 2013-14.

In transition, he ranks in the Top 50 in points scored, but therein lies the issue: the Knicks have primarily worked out of the half court.

Without a fast break to exploit opposing defenses, Hardaway Jr. has struggled to score efficiently. His length and athleticism come into play in the open court, but those opportunities have been scarce.

Thus, the catch-and-shoot numbers come into play.

Sophomore slumps exist, but Hardaway’s struggled with the areas of his game that must be strengths in the Triangle Offense. Until he can work off-ball and knock down jumpers on a consistent basis, it’ll be tough to justify starting him over undrafted rookie Langston Galloway.

Galloway’s performed well, but that’s an alarming reality for Knicks fans.

At a time in which shots are readily available, Hardaway Jr. should be thriving, not struggling—and that isn’t only on the system. As a shooter, Hardaway Jr. must show the ability to convert in the half court.

That’s not only a principle of the Triangle Offense, but a recurring truth of the postseason.

There’s no question that New York should be utilizing its players in accordance to their strengths, but this is very much a trial run of a season.

Rather than placing blame on Hardaway or the system alone, it’s important to find common ground between the two. It’s clear that he’s struggling to adjust to the change in style, but that doesn’t mean Derek Fisher should abandon him entirely.

With

Iman Shumpert

out of the picture, it’s time for Tim Hardaway Jr. to step in and thrive. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Fisher’s well-aware of that, which is why his shooting guard continues to get significant minutes—albeit off the bench.

Moving forward, it’ll be vital for Hardaway Jr. to prove himself. He’s not in his comfort zone, but he’s a skilled and dynamic player who should be able to thrive in this type of setting.

The only reasonable determination from 2014-15 is that, for now, less is more with the former Michigan Wolverines star. He’ll provide decent production in a pinch and work well off-ball, but he hasn’t yet proven capable of being a feature in the Triangle Offense.

Smith and Iman Shumpert were traded, which gave Hardaway Jr. the opportunity to shine. Anthony’s injury and Amar’e Stoudemire‘s buyout only heighten the expectations.

Hardaway Jr. has his future in the palm of his hands. It’s time he proves what Knicks fans know: he can handle the pressure.

This is Hardaway Jr.’s time to shine. It’s time to embrace it.

Next: Is LeBron James a realistic target for the New York Knicks? Or is it time to move on from that pipe dream?

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