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New York Knicks: Handing out awards at quarter-mark of 2017-18 season

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 27: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 27, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 27: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 27, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks is congratulated by teammate Courtney Lee #5 after Hardaway Jr. hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks is congratulated by teammate Courtney Lee #5 after Hardaway Jr. hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Most Improved Player: Tim Hardaway Jr.

One could make a case for Kristaps Porzingis, but Tim Hardaway Jr. deserves recognition for the improvements he’s made to his game. He’s exceeding expectations in every phase of the game, and has been an undeniably positive contributor to the New York Knicks.

Porzingis has made significant progress, as well, but this award honors the fact that the near $72 million man is playing at a level that few expected him to reach.

Despite playing out of position in 2017-18, Hardaway ranks No. 10 amongst small forwards in Real Plus-Minus (minimum: 20.0 minutes per game) at 1.68. This follows a season during which he tallied an RPM of 0.82—less than half his current mark.

On a more team-specific level, the Knicks have a net rating of +2.8 with Hardaway on the floor and a team-worst mark of -6.7 when he isn’t—a difference of 9.5 points per 100 possessions.

Individually, Hardaway is averaging 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.3 three-point field goals made per game. Every one of those marks would be career-highs, but that only scratches the surface of his improvement.

Hardaway is averaging 34.1 minutes per game, which marks his first career season above 27.3—a telling sign of how far he’s come to be able to play big minutes on a winning team.

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