Potential free agent replacements for Dion Waiters
By Simon Smith
Tim Hardaway Jr., Atlanta Hawks
It was a breaking-out party this season for Hardaway Jr., enjoying by far the best of his four seasons in the league. Following a very inauspicious first season in Atlanta, Hardaway earned the trust of the Hawks’ head coach, Mike Budenholzer. He averaged 14.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 27.3 minutes per game. Starting 30 of his 79 games, Hardaway shot 45.5 percent from the field and 35.7 recent from three-point range.
One contributing factor in Hardaway’s resurgence this season was the mid-season trade of shooting guard Kyle Korver. Over his first 47 games of the season, Hardaway Jr. averaged 11.9 points in 23.8 minutes per game, which included 34.1 percent shooting from behind three. But following this, his final 32 games were exceptional.
Finishing the season, Hardaway Jr. averaged 18.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. His playing time received a huge boost, averaging 32.3 minutes over this span. Furthermore, his shooting numbers also took off, hitting at a 47.9 percent clip from the field and 37.8 percent from downtown.
Hardaway Jr.’s best game for the season was during a home loss to the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Playing 35 minutes, Hardaway Jr. scored a career-high 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field, including 5-of-9 from behind three. And despite the 135-130 loss, Hardaway Jr. was a +15 on the night.
Hardaway here demonstrated the ability to finish at rim off the dribble, from the midrange and of course, behind the three-point line. With the Heat, Hardaway Jr. would provide a great off the ball option alongside point guard Goran Dragic, while providing great spacing for center Hassan Whiteside. The Heat would have to offer him a qualifying offer, as Hardaway Jr. is a restricted free agent–meaning the Hawks could match any offer the Heat make–and it could cost somewhere in the range of $15 million per season to sign him.
Notable stat: Hardaway Jr. had 34 games this season where he had 13 or more field goal attempts. During these games he averaged 21.0 points per game, converting at a 48.2 percent clip from the field and 37.5 percent from downtown. Furthermore, he was +155 while on the floor.