Knicks Trade Rumors: Pros and cons of trading Tim Hardaway Jr.

Con: Arguably makes this team unwatchable

One of the few silver linings with Tim Hardaway Jr.’s contract: he’s their best healthy player. Kristaps Porzingis remains in recovery for a torn left ACL with no timetable to return, so it’s the Michigan product’s team until further notice, and that’s an issue.

Hardaway’s shooting percentage may fall below 40.0, but he’s the New York Knicks leading scorer, at 19.6 points per game. It was once nearly 25.0 points to open the season’s first four weeks until November hit, and he regressed rapidly.

Without Hardaway, the Knicks have few players to score the ball consistently. Allonzo Trier and Kevin Knox have shown flashes, but Enes Kanter is no longer in the rotation, Courtney Lee, Trey Burke and Mario Hezonja barely play and Noah Vonleh is not a leading man.

That leaves a potentially miserable team to watch for the rest of the season.

The Knicks are in for another lottery pick, likely in the top seven, but there’s also the need to fill some seats at Madison Square Garden for two months. Trading the team’s top player limits that potential while continuing a win-loss record freefall.

The 2019-20 Knicks could become interesting via the draft, free agency and if the youth step up. In the meantime, they have a need to showcase for the remaining 30-plus games. Trading Hardaway does not accomplish that, no matter what fans are rooting for.