NEW YORK, July 8, 2017 – New York Knickerbockers General Manager Steve Mills announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Hardaway, 6-5, 205-pounds, returns to the Knicks after two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks. During the 2016-17 season, the former 2013 first-round draft choice of New York recorded career-highs in scoring (14.5 ppg), assists (2.3 apg), rebounds (2.8 rpg), minutes played (27.3), field goal percentage (.455), three-point makes (149) and attempts (417) and free throw makes (164) and attempts (214). Overall, the four-year NBA professional has appeared in 281 games - with 62 starts - to average 11.0 points and 23.4 minutes.
“Bringing back Tim to his original NBA home is an exciting time for him and this franchise,” Mills said. “As a versatile wing whose game continues to improve, he will fit right into the core of players that make up a roster emphasizing youth, athleticism, accountability and unselfishness.”
The 25-year-old Orinda, CA-native was originally selected by New York with the 24th overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft and had appeared in 151 total games for the Knicks over two seasons to average 10.8 points over 23.5 minutes, before being traded to the Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to Jerian Grant on Jun. 25, 2015. Hardaway holds the Knicks’ franchise rookie records for three-pointers made in a season (130) and three-point field goals attempted in a single game (12) and in a season (358), earning 2014 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. His father, five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, is currently an assistant coach for Detroit.