Tim Hardaway Jr.

[earthmansurfer]

Tim got 12 minutes last night! 1-3 and 1-2 on 3pters. Come on Grant...

I still think we can get THJ up to snuff long term...to at least contribute.

But, MAN. The early returns have been undeniably disappointing.

Muddling matters even more, could 2nd Round draftee and rookie swingman Lamar Patterson be the long term solution at SG? he has the IQ, the hustle and defense. He just needs to refine his jumper.

P-Jackson certainly got a bargain on that Jerian Grant selection.

I think the coaches were just too worried about his defense. Didn't see how he played last night but the better he plays defense, the more floor time he will see. And Timmy needs to focus on getting better shots to help his consistency.

Grant looked like a wonder kid earlier but the league has backed off him to challenge his J and it has worked. He really was an incredible PG in college and he shot 40% on jump shots. He has shown he can lead a team as a rookie, but that jump shooting percentage has crashed. He needs to get past that.

The trade can work out for both teams, time will tell.

[Jamaaliver]

Hardaway Jr. getting look

After not playing in the Hawks’ first 14 games, Tim Hardaway Jr. made his second straight appearance. He entered the game in the first quarter for his initial stint. He appeared in the second quarter in his debut Tuesday. It appears as if the Hawks are giving Hardaway Jr. the minutes that had been going to Justin Holiday. Hardaway finished with two points in 11 minutes. He was guarding Damjan Rudez when the Timberwolves forward hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for a four-point lead, 84-80, with 6:32 left. The second gave the Timberwolves the lead for good.

Here

[Rip2137]

That last part is not true, there were bad rotations but that wasn't his man. Honestly he has looked more active on defense than offense. He looks lost as hell on offense.

[MaceCase]

That last part is not true, there were bad rotations but that wasn't his man. Honestly he has looked more active on defense than offense. He looks lost as hell on offense.

Yea, it's absolutely not true that those rotations were on Hardaway but it's been indicative of the most confounding part of Bud's defensive scheme since the start of the season. I don't understand how Bud deploys so many stretch bigs yet runs a system that has zero ability to account for the opposing team's stretch bigs on defense. The team seems to be content on trapping every 1-4 pick and roll and just praying that the 4 misses their 3 or jumper attempt if they decide to pop. For the Wolves Bjelica made the team pay for the strategy earlier and now Rudez but it was evident from the first game of the season that this strategy needed to be tweaked when Detroit began very purposefully taking turns freeing up either Morris or Ilyasova on PnPs.

[Rip2137]

It's been that way since last year. Bugs that can step out ruin the Hawks unless they are just off. It all seems to be this "collapse on everything" defense and it leaves bigs that can shoot wide open.

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he is generally pleased with the play of Tim Hardaway Jr. in the guard’s limited action since making his season debut this week.

“I think he’s really been focused on the defensive end of the court, doing a lot of things that we want and are challenging, really the whole group, to do,” Budenholzer said Friday before the Hawks played the Grizzlies. “The way he has played and the focus and the attention he’s paid on really everything has been pretty good. Hopefully, he’ll find a rhythm offensively, find some opportunities. I would say we are pretty happy with his focus, his effort, his attention.”

Here

After four games, THJ is shooting 23% from the field. 25% from 3-pt range. And has a PER of 3.59.

[Jamaaliver]

That last part is not true, there were bad rotations but that wasn't [THJ's] man. Honestly he has looked more active on defense than offense. He looks lost as hell on offense.

Yea, it's absolutely not true that those rotations were on Hardaway but it's been indicative of the most confounding part of Bud's defensive scheme since the start of the season.

Bud concurs on THJ's culpability against Minnesota on the defensive end:

Hardaway, acquired in a draft night trade with the Knicks for a first-round pick, was on the floor in the closing minutes of the loss to the Timberwolves when Damjan Rudez hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Budenholzer said the defensive breakdowns were not fully on Hardaway.

“He maybe got caught a half a second late, on the one out of the post, but the other ones were not him,” Budenholzer said.

[xccelerate]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cvivlamoreajc/status/672544687367036928[/tweet]

[Mamba4Goat]

Can someone give me a brief summary on how's he done so far this season and how he's in the D-league?? I thought he was a half way decent sixth man.

[knicksup19]

Can someone give me a brief summary on how's he done so far this season and how he's in the D-league?? I thought he was a half way decent sixth man.

unfortunately for the hawks he simply isnt a good player he sucks on D and is an Iso volume streaky shooter whos jumper isnt pure..

he has moments which is why the hawks may have liked him but overall he doesnt contribute to consistent winning.

hawks simply made a bad trade it sucks it happens just dont repeat the mistake, but this isnt going to end good hawkfans its not. your teams still dope thO!

but you live and you learn

[MaceCase]

Can someone give me a brief summary on how's he done so far this season and how he's in the D-league?? I thought he was a half way decent sixth man.

He had a wrist injury from the previous season that he was rehabbing through most of the summer which cost him reps working into the system. From the start of the season they claimed his conditioning wasn't up to snuff presumably from all the missed offseason work and when he finally got into games he seemed to be absolutely concerned with not f'ing up on defense that it was actually costing him on offense.

The stint in the DLeague is probably to work two-fold: work off remaining rust on his conditioning and regain his shooting confidence before likely returning this same week for intensive practices during the first extended stretch of off days the team has had all season. It hasn't been to his benefit either that the team has had 21 games in 37 days which has amounted to about 3 total practices since the start of the season.

[dms269]

Can someone give me a brief summary on how's he done so far this season and how he's in the D-league?? I thought he was a half way decent sixth man.

He is buried on the depth chart. hawks would rather give the minutes to Bazemore, Patterson, and Dennis instead of Hardaway.

Going 3 for 13 doesn't help your cause either.

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he is pleased with the attitude of Tim Hardaway Jr. even as the guard was assigned to the NBA Development League.

“He has been great,” Budenholzer said of Hardaway. “The way that he has attacked and worked – before practice, after practice, the weight room, his conditioning, getting stronger, all those things. I think he is understanding some of the things we are doing defensively. I’m very happy with his approach to everything.”

“We believe in the D-League, believe in those guys playing, believe in getting game reps, game opportunities,” Budenholzer said of the Hardaway assignment. “Play great. Play not so great. You learn from all those things. I think to play a couple games, he’ll be better prepared when we need him.”

Here

[Fat Kat]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/673307185309286400[/tweet]

[earthmansurfer]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/673307185309286400[/tweet]

I don't see him getting any minutes now in the D-League. Is he back with the club?

[PandaKidd]

not sure what this means.....via Bud:

Hardaway, meanwhile, looks very sharp in street clothes. In New York, he was criticized for various facets of his game but mostly defense. His upside could be a nice payoff, but is that real or fantasy?

Budenholzer said, “It’s very fair (that people are second-guessing that deal). But I’m very happy with the work (Hardaway) is doing behind the scenes. The next step is to take it to the court. There’s evolutions with teams and coaches. The first year might not look or feel great but then the light bulb goes on for the coach — like, ‘Hey, I’m the one who screwed up’ — or the light goes on for the player. But he’s put himself in a good position to make it look like a good decision.”

So the judging continues and in the end, there’s no question who will get the credit or blame.

[Jamaaliver]

not sure what this means.....via Bud:

Hardaway, meanwhile, looks very sharp in street clothes. In New York, he was criticized for various facets of his game but mostly defense. His upside could be a nice payoff, but is that real or fantasy?

Budenholzer said, “It’s very fair (that people are second-guessing that [THJ] deal). But I’m very happy with the work (Hardaway) is doing behind the scenes. The next step is to take it to the court. There’s evolutions with teams and coaches. The first year might not look or feel great but then the light bulb goes on for the coach — like, ‘Hey, I’m the one who screwed up’ — or the light goes on for the player. But he’s put himself in a good position to make it look like a good decision.”

So the judging continues and in the end, there’s no question who will get the credit or blame.

You beat me to it!!!

Sounds like THJ is still trying to figure it out and Bud isn't throwing him under the bus for struggling with the adjustment.

I liked THJ. But it burns, badly, that we threw away another 1st rounder on him. Bud, above, states the first year might not be ideal...but we only have him for a single year after this before we have to commit longer term. He overpaid, vastly, on an unnecessary gamble. But I guess it's reasonable he'd be learning on the job as Pres of BBall Operations.

A Rodney Hood or a Gary Harris would look awful good about now in year two of our system.

[Jamaaliver]

As we prep to take on the Knicks, NY Post takes a shot at THJ and our braintrust for trading for him:

Jerian Grant’s role with the Knicks has fluctuated, from being used as a key reserve to barely being used as a third-string point guard.

But compared to the player Grant was traded for, guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the rookie is having an All-Star-caliber season. Hardaway has appeared in just four games with the Hawks. Yes, four, receiving a grand total of 42 minutes and scoring 10 points. Hardaway even was sent to the D-League in early December...

Coach Mike Budenholzer explained the demotion at the time as a chance for Hardaway to get extra reps. Budenholzer said he has been pleased with Hardaway’s effort on the defensive end, but the former first-round pick has become accustomed to wearing dress clothes for games.

Though Grant’s playing time has swung like a pendulum, he at least has a role on most nights...Grant already has been more effective than Hardaway.

[ATL Boy]

As we prep to take on the Knicks, NY Post takes a shot at THJ and our braintrust for trading for him:

Jerian Grant’s role with the Knicks has fluctuated, from being used as a key reserve to barely being used as a third-string point guard.

But compared to the player Grant was traded for, guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the rookie is having an All-Star-caliber season. Hardaway has appeared in just four games with the Hawks. Yes, four, receiving a grand total of 42 minutes and scoring 10 points. Hardaway even was sent to the D-League in early December...

Coach Mike Budenholzer explained the demotion at the time as a chance for Hardaway to get extra reps. Budenholzer said he has been pleased with Hardaway’s effort on the defensive end, but the former first-round pick has become accustomed to wearing dress clothes for games.

Though Grant’s playing time has swung like a pendulum, he at least has a role on most nights...Grant already has been more effective than Hardaway.

Grant would be in the D-League if he was on the Hawks, and Hardaway would have a role if he was still on the Knicks. The writer of this piece doesn't take into account the fact that the Hawks are a veteran team with much higher aspirations than the Knicks this year, playing a system that takes time to be learned (the way Schroder had to take time to learn it, the way Muscala had to take time to learn it, and the way Edy and THJ are taking time to learn it). I guess they let just any amateur write for the NY Post.

[Jamaaliver]

Grant would be in the D-League if he was on the Hawks, and Hardaway would have a role if he was still on the Knicks. The writer of this piece doesn't take into account the fact that the Hawks are a veteran team with much higher aspirations than the Knicks this year, playing a system that takes time to be learned (the way Schroder had to take time to learn it, the way Muscala had to take time to learn it, and the way Edy and THJ are taking time to learn it). I guess they let just any amateur write for the NY Post.

These are really good points, ATLBoy. But it is hard to reconcile that guys like Demarre, Lamar Patterson, Cartier Martin have stepped in after a much shorter adjustment period and were able to contribute.

Meanwhile, THJ hasn't even been worth being placed as active for most games.

The treatment he's being given is more in line with how Bud managed Adreian Payne, John Jenkins, and Lou Williams. Guys Bud dumped at the earliest moment.

RHJ, Bobby Portis, Kelly Oubre, Justin Anderson would all likely be in the D League. No doubt. But with three plus additional years under control, it would likely be easier to accept knowing those guys were in the pipeline to eventually replace Thabo, Korver and others.