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New York Knicks: 5 reasons Tim Hardaway Jr. can win Most Improved Player

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 3: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the preseason game on October 3, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 3: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the preseason game on October 3, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 28: Tim Hardaway Jr. #10 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2017 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kevin Liles/NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 28: Tim Hardaway Jr. #10 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2017 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kevin Liles/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Precedent

The key to a projection of improved play is the existence of a precedent. In the case of Tim Hardaway Jr., a track record exists of the former Michigan Wolverines star making significant improvements to his game.

Hardaway will need to make an even bigger leap in order to win the award, but the progress between 2015-16 and 2016-17 is reason enough to be intrigued.

Hardaway set career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and three-point field goals made per game in 2016-17. Those numbers translated to the advanced metrics, as he posted career-best averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.

Hardaway also shot a career-best 45.5 percent from the field, and posted his best three-point field goal percentage since 2013-14.

Most impressive of all is that Hardaway did this without setting career-highs in field goal or three-point field goal attempts per 36. That implies that he still has room to grow, as his age at 25 and experience of just four seasons would indicate he does.

With a proven history of being able to make significant improvements to his game, and an offseason that saw him work out with Dwyane Wade, Hardaway should make another leap.

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