Atlanta Hawks Rumors: Tim Hardaway Jr. Prefers to Stay in Atlanta
Tim Hardaway Jr.'s tenure with the Hawks didn't really start out well after the New York Knicks shipped him to Atlanta in the 2015 offseason. He was starting to make an impact for the Knicks at the time, but he had to play back up again after he was traded to the Hawks.
Hardaway didn't get much playing time behind Kyle Korver, Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefolosha during his first season with the Hawks, but he finally got his chance to shine when Korver was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this year. During the playoff series against the Washington Wizards, the team even opted to start Hardaway over Bazemore.
Hardaway is going to be a restricted free agent this summer and he's due for a big raise. He will probably have a long line of suitors once he hits the market, but the shooting guard really wants to stay in Atlanta.
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"Atlanta brought me here and it really felt like I was starting all over as a rookie when I got here. They made me go through some tough times. They made me mature as a person on and off the court. And made me appreciate the game a whole lot more when I first came in the league. That's what I'm thankful for," Hardaway Jr. told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"I want to be here, point blank. They brought me here because they believed in me and believed in what I'm capable of doing. I'm thankful for it," he continued.
The question is, will the Hawks give him the deal that he wants?
The team gave Bazemore a four-year, $70-million contract last year and Hardaway managed to oust him from the starting lineup by the end of the season. Hardaway will probably want a similar or even better contract.
The Hawks can match any offer sheet he receives, but they will have to decide if he's worth keeping if a team offers him too much money.
