It feels like it's been forever since Tim Hardaway Jr. played for the New York Knicks. When you reflect on all that has changed since Hardaway Jr. last played for the Knicks (he had two different stints in New York), it makes sense why it feels a lot longer than six years. Hardaway Jr., 33, is now entering his 13th season in the league, his first with the Nuggets.
Hardaway signed a one-year deal with Denver, giving the Nuggets another shooter off the bench. Given that Denver averaged the lowest number of threes per game last season (31.9), Hardaway Jr. will undoubtedly help in that area. Through three preseason games, only three of his 11 shots haven't been threes.
His shot hasn't been falling in the preseason, but here's yet another reminder that it's just the preseason. Hardaway Jr. won't suddenly forget how to shoot, especially not when he's playing with someone like Nikola Jokić, who will find him wide-open looks when they play together.
Not only could Hardaway Jr. have a hot shooting year, but he'll get to help the Nuggets push for another championship. Denver retooled its roster over the summer, including by signing THJ, and should easily be one of the top teams in the league between its star power and supporting cast.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is entering his first season with the Nuggets
As Jon Wallace said over the offseason, Hardaway Jr. is a microwave scorer. He can get hot fast. It's why the Nuggets signed him. He's shot 36.1% from three during his career. The past two seasons, he shot 35.3% and 36.8% from deep, but if he can get closer to 39% like he did in the 2022-23 season, when he shot 38.5%, Denver will have gotten more than it needed from him.
His veteran leadership is a bonus. Hardaway Jr.'s NBA career began in 2013 with the Knicks (look how far he's come), and since then, he's played different roles on different teams. His role with the Nuggets could fluctuate throughout the season, but at this stage in his career, Hardaway Jr. understands that.
He started every game he played for last season (77) with a young Pistons squad, which won't be the case in Denver. It comes with the territory of playing for a contender, one that's as stacked as the Nuggets now are. That doesn't make THJ less valuable, at least not to Denver, in its quest to return to the mountaintop.
Who knows? By the time next June rolls around, Hardaway Jr. could be an NBA champion. Oh, that'll only happen if he's traded midseason to the Knicks. In all seriousness, a New York-Denver NBA Finals matchup would be fun, wouldn't it?.