Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Knicks are having a difficult season, with a 7-17 record after Monday night’s loss to the Washington Wizards. But one recent bright spot has been the play of rookie guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who scored 14 points (5-for-6 from the floor, 2-f0r-3 on three-pointers) against the Wizards and has 27 points over the last two games while playing more than 20 minutes in both contests.
The Knicks are currently without point guard Raymond Felton (hamstring, hip), which prompted trade rumors surrounding the team’s interest in Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, and backup Pablo Prigioni went down with a toe injury on Monday night that is expected to sideline him for at least two weeks. Rumors surrounding Lowry and the Knicks will surely re-ignite, but for now Hardaway Jr. seems to be in line for a prominent role. Should fantasy owners consider adding him?
Hardaway has put up 10 or more points in a game eight times this season, and it’s not coincidental he has played 19 or more minutes in six of those games. He is also making close to 48 percent of his shots from the floor, despite roughly half of his attempts coming from three-point range (3.2 per game), though more minutes may bring more shots and decreased efficiency.
Hardaway is someone to watch in fantasy leagues right now, and he is available in 96 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Owners in deeper leagues can consider adding and stashing him, as he could be a solid source of three-pointers with the prospect of a bigger and more consistent role. If coach Mike Woodson is fired at some point and some veterans are traded, the Knicks may quickly move toward giving younger players more run and Hardaway Jr. obviously fits that bill.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.
