Tim Hardaway Jr. is a member of the Atlanta Hawks – for now.
The transformed shooting guard wants to remain with the team that tore down and rebuilt his game over the past two seasons. However, there will likely be a list of suitors for the restricted free agent this summer. The Hawks must decide whether to match an offer sheet from another team.
“That’s why I have an agent to do all the talk with the organization here and see what best fits for me,” Hardaway said during his exit interview last week. “I love it here. Atlanta brought me here and it really felt like I was starting all over as a rookie when I got here. They made me go through some tough times. They made me mature as a person on and off the court. And made me appreciate the game a whole lot more when I first came in the league. That’s what I’m thankful for.”
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was asked for a list of offseason priorities after the team was eliminated by the Wizards in a first-round playoff series. He cited re-signing Paul Millsap and Hardaway. The organization has long made it clear that retaining Millsap is of upmost importance. It was a new development to add Hardaway that high on the list.
“I want to be here, point blank,” Hardaway said. “They brought me here because they believed in me and believed in what I’m capable of doing. I’m thankful for it. … As of now, I’m still here. This is my team. I’m an Atlanta Hawk still. There is no other team right now. My mind and my focus is with the Atlanta Hawks.”
Hardaway is scheduled to make $3,335,707 next season. That figures to change dramatically after July 1. The Hawks sent Hardaway to restricted free agency after not extending him a qualifying offer in October.
The Hawks face an interesting decision on who much they are willing to pay for Hardaway. Kent Bazemore signed a four-year, $70 million contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer, an annual salary of $15 million. It was Hardaway who supplanted Bazemore in the starting lineup. The development of Hardaway was also one of the reasons the Hawks traded Kyle Korver midseason.
The metamorphosis of Hardaway during his time with the Hawks is well-documented after he was obtained from the Knicks for a first-round draft pick in 2015. He went from a wrist injury to not playing at all to the NBA Development League to a key rotation player and finally to a starter in the final regular-season games and playoffs.
Hardaway finished the regular season appearing in 79 games, including 30 starts. He averaged 14.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists. During the playoffs, he averaged 12.8 points despite shooting .329 from the field and .262 from 3-point range. The Hawks postseason performance as a team and his as an individual bothers Hardaway.
“I got a taste of the playoff atmosphere and the physicality that you have to have out there to win possessions and win ball games,” Hardaway said. “I got a taste of that and I want more of it. I’m not satisfied at all with the performance that I had and the outcome of the series. I’m happy that I was a part of it. I’m happy our team was a part of it. There is a lot we have to work on.”
Hardaway said he intends to spend most of his summer in Atlanta working on his game, much the same as last year when the made the biggest strides in becoming a more complete player. Hardaway said he wants to improve his ball-handling skills during the offseason, a lesson he learned first-hand going against the Wizards dynamic backcourt.
“Wherever you want to get on the court, you have to be able to handle the ball,” Hardaway said. “Watching who we played against, Bradley Beal and John Wall, those guys handle the ball very, very well. They get to anywhere they want on the court. Being able to have that as part of your game will go a long way.”
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