There’s a premium price to be paid for perimeter players who can defend the opposing team’s top dogs all while being an undeniable offensive threat.
On Monday, the Dallas Mavericks paid top dollar to retain a veteran wing who fits that exact mold: Tim Hardaway Jr.
According to The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania, Hardaway agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract with Dallas. Hardaway was just coming off of a four-year, $71 million deal that he signed with the New York Knicks in 2017.
He’s averaged 16.9 points per game while shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range in that time. Perhaps most impressive for Hardaway is him improving his 3-point stroke exponentially; from 2017-18 to 2018-19, Hardaway shot just 32.9 percent from long distance, compared to 39.4 percent from 2019-20 to last season.
Currently 29-years-old, Hardaway is still young enough to play at his highest level throughout the length of his new deal.