A few days ago, Tim Hardaway and Ginobili were jointly inducted into the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame. Lone Ranger player Tim Hardaway Jr. updated social media to congratulate his dad: "Now he can relax, he can breathe, he can have fun every day!" This is what my father wanted to achieve the most, and he did. ”
That's right, today we're going to talk about Tim Hardaway Jr. This season, it seems that I haven't heard the name of Little Hadaway for a long time. He suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot in January and underwent surgery on his left foot on February 1. Lone Ranger coach Kidd said hardaway Jr. would not make a comeback in the playoffs at the end of March and that he was still a long way from recovering.
Hardaway Jr. has played only 42 games for the Lone Ranger this season, averaging 29.6 minutes per game, with 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.9 steals. He shot 39.4 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from three-point range, and 75.7 percent from the free throws. Scoring is a new low in nearly 6 seasons, shooting percentage is the second lowest in the past 7 seasons, and the second lowest three-point shooting rate in career.
Last offseason, the Lone Ranger renewed Hardaway Jr. for $75 million for four years, and his salary this season is $21.31 million, the top spot in the team. PS: Doncic's big 5-year, 207 million contract starts next season and costs $10.17 million this season. Hardaway Jr.'s salary next season ranks second in the team, behind Doncic.
In the 2018 Draft, Doncic was selected with the third pick in the first round and was subsequently sent to the Lone Ranger. He only played half a season before the Lone Rangers decided to build a team around 077.In February 2019, they sent Dennis Smith, Matthews and Jordan Jr. to the Knicks in exchange for players such as Porzingis and Hardaway Jr.
Throughout the 2018-19 season, Hardaway Jr. averaged 18.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, setting a career-high score. His four-year, $71 million contract, plus a rookie contract, and four years of $75 million in last year's offseason, had a career total salary of more than $150 million, making him a proper winner in life.
Hardaway Jr. was the no. 24 pick in the first round of 2013, and the winner of that year was Bennett, who had been away from the NBA for many years. With a height of 1.96 meters and an arm span of 2.01 meters, Hardaway Jr. is not outstanding as a forward-guard swinger. The small-ball era is inseparable from outside shooting, and Hardaway's projection ability has become the foundation of his foothold in the league.
Doncic needs a pitcher to help him attract defense, and Hardaway Jr. is the perfect puzzle. In the 2019-20 season, Hardaway Jr. had 57 percent of his shots coming from outside the three-point line, shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range and 45 percent from mid- and long-range shooting. Hardaway Jr. averaged 2.9 three-pointers per game and ranked in the league's top 10 overall hits.
In the 2020-21 season, Hardaway Jr. averaged 16.6 points per game, shooting 39.1% from three-point range, and 40.9% from three-point range (151-of-369 shooting). Hardaway Jr.'s three-point shots and shooting percentage on the ball are ranked seventh in the league. Not having the ball, and a stable output, which is also an important reason why he can get a contract of 75 million.
After Hardaway Jr. was injured, Jaylen Brunson stepped up, averaging 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season and shooting 37.1 percent from three-point range. Brunson's current contract is only $6.11 million for four years, which expires this summer. If the Lone Ranger wants to keep him, I am afraid that he will have to come up with a contract similar to that of Little Hardaway.
Brunson's height of 1.85 meters is always a hard injury, and it remains to be seen whether he can continue his regular season performance in the playoffs. Final question: Do you think Brunson can perfectly replace Hardaway Jr.?