4. Athleticism
If the past is a sign of the future, then the New York Knicks aren’t going to receive lockdown defense from Tim Hardaway Jr. at shooting guard. What it would get with Hardaway, however, is a wing with above-average athleticism.
That may not be much of a selling point for most organizations, but for a team as grounded and sluggish as the Knicks, Hardaway Jr. would be a revelation.
New York finished 2016-17 at No. 24 in fast break points and No. 28 in points per transition possession. That glaring inability to generate points in the open floor severely limited the effectiveness of the offense.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek will look to push the pace more in 2017-18, which makes Hardaway Jr. an ideal player to place at shooting guard.
Hardaway averaged 1.17 points per possession in transition during the 2016-17 season. That’s far from an elite mark, but Atlanta ran a half court offense and rarely pushed the pace, which implies he could be more effective with a more up-tempo style.
With the ability to play above the rim, distribute to his teammates, and spot up in transition, Hardaway’s athleticism would be a welcome addition.