The Knicks have reportedly signed restricted free agent Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year, $71 million offer sheet.
New York drafted the 25-year-old in the 2013 NBA Draft, traded him two years later to Atlanta, and now is offering him mega-bucks.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded for Jerian Grant who was traded for Derrick Rose who was renounced so NYK could sign Hardaway Jr. for $71M.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 7, 2017
Hawks were thinking something in the neighborhood of $45M for Hardaway. This latest act of Knickery should make the call easier.
— Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) July 7, 2017
Hardaway averaged 14.5 points per game in 28 minutes for the Hawks last season.
Per ESPN:
The Hawks will have two days to match the offer, which contains a 15% trade kicker and a player option in the fourth year, per sources.
In particular, Hardaway flourished after the Hawks traded Kyle Korver to Cleveland midway through the season. In the final six weeks of the regular season, Hardaway averaged 18 points in 32 minutes per game, hitting 38 percent of his 3-point attempts.
He has become a more well-rounded player with the Hawks, who transformed him by initially benching him and sending him to the NBA’s D-League. Hardaway eventually developed into a key rotation player for Atlanta and started games for the club late in the regular season and in the playoffs.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said retaining Hardaway was a priority for Atlanta entering the offseason.
