The New York Knicks are trusting Tim Hardaway Jr. to take the next step in his development. Which players should he be studying to help expand his game?
The New York Knicks made one of the most shocking decisions of the 2017 offseason when president Steve Mills signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year deal worth $71 million. Most were supportive of the actual signing, but the general feeling was a sense of concern over the price tag.
In order for Hardaway Jr. to silence his critics and justify the investment, he’ll need to build upon the career-year he experienced in 2016-17.
As Hardaway Jr. searches for ways to match his value on the court to his hit against the salary cap, history should be his friend. He’s likely familiar with some of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, as quite a few played during his father’s era.
Not every player whom Hardaway Jr. can learn from is a Hall of Famer, however, and that makes the following list one with an admittedly strange blend of talent.
In some instances, Hardaway Jr. should be following the lead of the legendarily great players. In others, he should be looking to become a more well-rounded player, and thus follow the lead of those who may not have gotten all the shine, but possessed magnificent fundamentals.
The question is: Which five players should New York Knicks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. study as he attempts to create a more complete skill set?
5. Raja Bell
Raja Bell wasn’t a star during his playing days, but he was as good of a 3-and-D player as one could find in the mid-to-late 2000s. He was an outstanding on-ball defender who averaged 2.3 three-point field goals made per game on 41.1 percent shooting between 2005 and 2012.
Tim Hardaway Jr. will have a more significant offensive role than Bell, but if he can defend at a similar level, the New York Knicks will take a massive step towards sustainable success.
Bell played on a number of different teams during his NBA career, but his most prolific success came with the Phoenix Suns. He not only defended shooting guards at a high level, but spent time on both point guards and small forwards.
Covering up for the defensive deficiencies of two-time MVP Steve Nash, Bell proved that a player’s surroundings shouldn’t determine their effort on defense.
Offensively, Bell averaged 12.8 points per game between 2003 and 2010. Hardaway Jr. will need to score more, but Bell was a lethal catch-and-shoot marksman who also proved capable of the occasional attack of a closeout.
If Hardaway Jr. is looking to learn the basics of being a 3-and-D contributor at the shooting guard position, then Bell is as good of a case study as any.
Hardaway Jr. just shouldn’t flop as much as Bell used to.
4. Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is beginning to emerge as the poster child for 3-and-D shooting guards. Tim Hardaway Jr. is aiming to become a more complete scoring threat than Thompson, but even saying that creates high expectations.
If Hardaway Jr. is going to become an effective two-way shooting guard, then Thompson should be one of the first players he studies.
If Raja Bell is the ultimate 3-and-D role player, then Thompson is the evolution of him. He’s slightly taller than Hardaway Jr., but the two-time NBA champion and three-time All-Star has become an outstanding scorer with the Golden State Warriors.
Between 2014-15 and 2016-17, Thompson averaged 22.0 points per game on a slash line of .467/.425/.869—the type of numbers Hardaway Jr. is being paid to produce.
Thompson has undoubtedly benefited from playing with the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. He’s a star in his own right, however, as he’s become an elite on-ball defender, one of the most lethal shooters in the NBA, and an underrated post scorer.
Hardaway Jr. will need to create more off the bounce, but he can learn from Thompson’s willingness to pass up a good shot for a great shot, and his quick release in catch and shoot scenarios.
3. Michael Finley
One of the unsung heroes of Dirk Nowitzki’s development into an all-time great is shooting guard Michael Finley. While Nowitzki will forever be remembered for his scoring proficiency, it was Finley who alleviated early pressure from the legendary power forward.
Tim Hardaway Jr. will be asked to provide similar aid to Kristaps Porzingis, which makes studying Finley an appropriate, if not necessary, decision.
Nowitzki scored at a comparable level to Porzingis in his second season, and became Dallas’ leading scorer in his third year. Porzingis may follow that very path in 2017-18, when he could become the featured scorer in Jeff Hornacek’s offense.
The critical context, however, is that it was Finley who led the Mavericks in field goal attempts per game during Nowitzki’s third season—a truth that enabled much of what Dirk achieved.
Finley was an excellent scorer who, like Hardaway Jr., offered a bit of everything as far his skill set was concerned. He had a respectable jump shot, could drive and finish, and was even adept at creating for others—traits that Hardaway Jr. is beginning to display himself.
Whether it’s learning how to complement an unorthodox big man or improving his individual game, Finley’s game film has much to offer to Hardaway Jr.
2. Dwyane Wade
This may not seem like the most logical of leaps when one considers the fact that Dwyane Wade isn’t much of a three-point shooter. Tim Hardaway Jr. has been training with Wade, however, and is thus already learning from the future Hall of Famer.
Beyond the fact that Hardaway Jr. and Wade have been working out together, the three-time NBA champion has an abundance of reasons for appeal.
The offensive area in which Hardaway Jr. needs to improve the most is the area in which few have ever been better than Wade: Getting to the rim. Wade has become an eight-time All-NBA honoree and 12-time All-Star on the strength of his Jordan-esque slashing ability.
That isn’t limited to driving in a straight line and finishing at the rim, but it also includes his craftiness in traffic and his creativity when one lane closes and another opens.
Last week, @DwyaneWade worked out with Tim Hardaway Jr in LA. I asked him what he saw in his game. The Knicks should expect great things. pic.twitter.com/NzzpIMx75P
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 9, 2017
The fact that Hardaway Jr. and Wade have been training together implies that progress is being made. The New York Knicks will be counting on that proving true, as Hardaway Jr. is currently flanked by two players who aren’t exactly knowing for their driving abilities: Frank Ntilikina and a 33-year-old Carmelo Anthony.
Wade is also one of the greatest situational defenders in NBA history, which further hammers the point home: Hardaway Jr. must improve on defense.
1. Michael Jordan
Keep reading before you call for my head.
For all of the talk about the pomp and circumstance, there has never been a more fundamentally sound player than Michael Jordan. His footwork was flawless, his pacing was unprecedented, and his attention to detail was surgical.
Tim Hardaway Jr. may never reach the bar that Jordan continuously raised, but every shooting guard in the NBA has something to learn from His Airness.
Jordan did a better job than any shooting guard in NBA history of balancing his role as the No. 1 scoring option with being a lockdown defender. Pressure was eventually alleviated on both ends of the floor, as it should be, but Jordan seemed to have an endless supply of energy.
That was partially true, but it was also a product of Jordan’s uncanny ability to pace himself through games—something Hardaway Jr. must learn to do.
Hardaway Jr. is going to be tasked with scoring at a relatively high level, primarily as a three-point shooter. His role will be even more prominent on defense, however, as the Knicks need every player to buy in and hold their own.
Between his pacing, his stance, his footwork, and his skill set, no player would be better for Hardaway Jr. to study than Jordan.
It all starts with looking beyond the flash and understanding the substance.
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If New York Knicks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. utilizes his resources to study these five players, he should continue to develop into the player he’s capable of becoming.