Hawks acquire wing Tim Hardaway Jr. in trade with Knicks
The Atlanta Hawks acquired New York Knicks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. in a draft-day trade on Thursday night, sending the No. 19 overall pick to New York in the process -- essentially making the 23-year-old the team's 2015 first-round pick.
In return, Atlanta used the 19th overall pick to select Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant for the Knicks. Atlanta also acquired 2016 and 2019 second-round picks along the way.
"When we made the initial trade to move back to (No. 19) other offers started coming in, including the one we ultimately went with with New York, with Tim Hardaway Jr.," Hawks coach and president of basketball operations Mike Budenholzer said. "Things started happening. There was a lot happening before (No.) 15, and then more happens after the league figures out you have 19, and this was obviously the offer we felt best about.
" ... I think that the ability to acquire a player who has established himself in the league as somebody that can help a team, help us, and acquiring a couple of second-round picks as assets as we continue to build and create flexibility in the future, and opportunities in the future, it was a very good night for us."
Hardaway, a former first-round pick out of Michigan, averaged 11.5 points and 2.2 rebounds. A 6-foot-6 guard who shot 34.2 percent from 3-point range last season, Hardaway's defensive ability is a major question mark for an Atlanta team that preaches efficiency on that end of the floor.
Hardaway is signed through the 2016-17 season on a team-friendly deal -- earning $1.3 million next season and a 2016-17 team option for around $2.3 million.
Hardaway is set to join a Hawks' wing rotation that features All-Star Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore and, potentially, DeMarre Carroll, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. By acquiring an affordable rotation piece, regardless of defensive shortcomings, the Hawks have created cap space for potential free agency runs at Carroll and/or Paul Millsap.
"You weigh what your options are and what's in front of you and we felt like adding Tim Hardaway Jr. was what was best for us: A young 2-guard that's shown an ability to make shots and be an effective player," Budenholzer said. "I think we get him into our program, into our development program, working with our coaches and around our players, we think he's going to grow and prosper here."
The Hardaway trade was the second deal of the night for the Hawks' front office, which traded back from the No. 15 overall through a trade with the Washington Wizards.
The Hawks selected Kansas freshman Kelly Oubre for the Wizards in exchange for the 19th pick and two future second-rounders.
Budenholzer said the team explored moving up in the draft, but said negotiations were "never close" to being finalized.
The reigning NBA Coach of the Year also said there were players on their draftboard they would have considered taking given the opportunity at No. 15, but none were available.
"There were some guys on the board that we felt strongly about that if they were there at 15, we would select," Budenholzer said. "When those things go away, then you start considering other opportunities and ways to improve and construct your team and collect assets moving forward."
