New York Knicks: Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing himself into an All-Star Game appearance

New York Knicks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing himself into his first-career All-Star Game appearance

The New York Knicks are the youngest team in the NBA, are in the midst of a rebuild, and off to a lackluster 3-6 start to the 2018-19 season; it could be a long year in the Big Apple. But throughout their struggles, shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has been playing the most productive basketball of his career and could find himself participating in this year’s NBA All-Star Game.

This season has been a continuation of last season for Hardaway in his second stint with the Knicks. But, this time around, he’s playing at an even more productive level to the point where it’s impossible to ignore his offensive heroics.

Heading into Friday night, Hardaway was averaging a career-high 26.0 points per game on 43.1 percent shooting from the field and 41.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc (another career-high for Hardaway). Whether it be shooting off the dribble, playing in isolation, running the fastbreak, attacking the rack, or hoisting up the 3-pointer when need be, the Michigan product has been a sight for sore Knicks fans eyes. He’s the team’s leading scorer by a double-digit margin, the focal point of their offense, and topping off his impressive 2017-18 season.

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Last season, Hardaway averaged an impressive 17.5 points per game which caught the attention of many. At the same time, before tearing his ACL in February, Kristaps Porzingis was the go-to scorer in the Knicks offense. Then, once the Zinger’s season ended, the Knicks leaned on Hardaway to carry the scoring load, and he played well. Now, he’s taking it to a whole new level and playing competent on the other end of the floor. A once questionable $71 million signing is panning out to be a bargain for president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry.

A little over five years ago, the Knicks drafted Hardaway to give them depth out on the perimeter and/or provide a safety net for if J.R. Smith departed in free agency. Two years later, they traded Hardaway in a three-team deal to the Atlanta Hawks and, in return, acquired the rights to Notre Dame point guard Jerian Grant – who isn’t with the Knicks anymore. Last summer, the Knicks signed Hardaway, bringing him back to where his career began – and it’s become one of the best signings the organization has manufactured in a long time.

Hardaway is the leader of this raw Knicks roster. And his ability to thrive in the alpha role could make him a vital piece to Perry and Mills’ rebuilding plan – if he wasn’t already. He’s a transformed player, a bonafide offensive focal point, and one of the best scoring wings in the association.

Sure, there are some proven players like Enes Kanter, Trey Burke, and Noah Vonleh, as well as some intriguing youngsters like Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox (who’s currently nursing an ankle injury), Damyean Dotson, and Mitchell Robinson in place, but Hardaway is, indisputably, the most prominent player in head coach David Fizdale’s rotation.

All things considered, why can’t Hardaway be a participant in this season’s All-Star Game?

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Victor Oladipo, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker, and Hassan Whiteside, barring injury, are likely the names who will be in, or on the bubble, from the Eastern Conference to compete in the All-Star Game. If Hardaway can continue to score and produce at the rate he’s been this season, why can’t he be a reserve in the defenseless exhibition?

Middleton, Horford, Tatum, Beal, and Whiteside are all crucial to the well-being of their teams, but if you remove Hardaway from the Knicks, they could easily be 0-9; he’s more important to the Knicks than those five are to their respective teams. Imagine if a player averaging 24-plus points per game wasn’t introduced at All-Star weekend: it would be hard to fathom.

At some point, the ability to produce at a high level offensively has to pay itself off in the form of accolades. Heck, that’s the only reason why the Knicks were represented at the All-Star Game with Carmelo Anthony when they couldn’t crack the playoffs. What’s the difference between Anthony and Hardaway’s importance to the Knicks, in terms of production, then and now outside of their contracts?

Hardaway was once the third shooting guard in the Knicks rotation behind Iman Shumpert and Smith. He was looked at as an outside shooting threat and a player who could finish off fastbreaks. Two years later, he was playing for the Hawks G-League affiliate. Today, he’s the co-face of the Knicks alongside Porzingis (when healthy). He’s a perfect model for resiliency and how the G-League can be effective.

Yes, Hardaway is an inconsistent defender. Yes, the case could be made that he’s putting up empty numbers on a losing Knicks team. But, let’s be honest, if it was a bonafide star, or more well-known player, putting up these numbers, would there be anyone disputing whether they should be in the All-Star Game? Big-name players are a big reason why fans look forward to All-Star weekend, but those who have played their tail off and are worthy of such recognition shouldn’t be denied the honor for the sake of having a bigger name in the game. Right now, Hardaway is an All-Star.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is becoming a staple for the New York Knicks and a player who should be at the forefront of their future. And his skill set could be on full display for the nation to see in February.