“It would really help our team and put us in a very good position if he can compete for the title of best sixth man of the year. I think he can do it.”
Jason Kidd had set the scene even before the start of the “training camp” in Dallas, by slipping this little sentence to the attention of Tim Hardaway Jr. With the arrival of Kyrie Irving at the end of last season to support Luka Doncic on the back bases, the fullback/winger should logically move full-time with the “second unit”, within which he will retain a major role.
The person concerned reacted and was not reluctant to come off the bench and somewhat balance the forces present in terms of scoring. Above all, he doesn’t make it a question of status.
No energy to waste
“I consider myself a hybrid. At this point in my career, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench, I’m not going to make it about ego or anything like that. It doesn’t lead anywhere. I’m here to win games, like all the guys on this team. Everything else is a bit of a waste of energy”, he blurted.
Jason Kidd’s staff had already taken the player’s temperature but the two parties have not yet concretely addressed the issue. Even if Jason Kidd’s argument is already in place.
“This is a subject that we are going to talk about, the ability to be able to carry this “second unit””added Jason Kidd. “But that doesn’t mean he can’t start at certain times of the season. When you look at previous Sixth Man of the Year candidates, they also started at different points in the season. We are considering Timmy for the role of sixth man and we hope he accepts it.”
In any case, even if Tim Hardaway Jr. has started a good part of the matches since his arrival in Dallas (171 starts out of 273 games), he is also used to coming off the bench.
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2013-14 | NYK | 81 | 23 | 42.8 | 36.3 | 82.8 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 10.2 |
| 2014-15 | NYK | 70 | 24 | 38.9 | 34.2 | 80.1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 11.5 |
| 2015-16 | ATL | 51 | 17 | 43.0 | 33.8 | 89.3 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 6.4 |
| 2016-17 | ATL | 79 | 27 | 45.5 | 35.7 | 76.6 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 14.5 |
| 2017-18 | NYK | 57 | 33 | 42.1 | 31.7 | 81.6 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 17.5 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 65 | 32 | 39.3 | 34.0 | 84.1 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 18.1 |
| 2018-19 * | NYK | 46 | 33 | 38.8 | 34.7 | 85.4 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 19.1 |
| 2018-19 * | DAL | 19 | 29 | 40.4 | 32.1 | 76.7 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 15.5 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 71 | 30 | 43.4 | 39.8 | 81.9 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 15.8 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 70 | 28 | 44.7 | 39.1 | 81.6 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 16.6 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 42 | 30 | 39.4 | 33.6 | 75.7 | 0.3 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 14.2 |
| 2022-23 | DAL | 71 | 30 | 40.1 | 38.5 | 77.0 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 14.4 |
| Total | 657 | 27 | 42.0 | 36.1 | 80.8 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 14.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
