Although three or four teams reached out to convey their interest in him early in free agency, Tim Hardaway Jr. was drawn to the Nuggets in part because J.J. Barea and Jared Dudley were joining David Adelman‘s coaching staff, as he tells Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Hardaway played alongside Barea with the Mavericks from 2019-20, while Dudley was a Mavs assistant coach during three of Hardaway’s years in Dallas.
“It gives you more confidence (having Dudley and Barea on staff), just because they understand your style of play,” Hardaway said. “They reiterate that to the rest of the coaching staff. I mean, Jared Dudley was my assistant coach in Dallas for years, so he knows what I can do on and off the floor for the team.”
Hardaway made 77 starts in Detroit last season and hasn’t averaged fewer than 26.8 minutes per game in a season since 2015/16. He also hasn’t earned less than $16MM in a season since ’16/17. This year in Denver, he’s on a minimum-salary contract and will likely be part of the Nuggets’ second unit. However, he’s embracing the opportunity to play for a championship contender and wants to set an example for his younger teammates who may end up playing lesser roles.
“I’ve realized throughout my career, sulking and being upset about something, it’s just being an energy-drainer at that point,” Hardaway told Durando. “So just coming in there, letting those guys understand if they’re having rough days, bad days, (my job is) lifting them up, if I have to take them to dinner, (or) if I have to get the team all out together.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Al Horford‘s two-year contract with the Warriors, which is worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception and includes a second-year player option, also features a 15% trade kicker, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Horford will become trade-eligible on January 1, three months after he officially signed with Golden State.
- Within a look at Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga as an in-season trade candidate, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (subscription required) observes that even though Golden State is right up against a hard cap and will have to account for Kuminga’s trade kicker, the lack of base year compensation restrictions will make it easier to move him during the season than it would have been in a sign-and-trade. For instance, the Warriors wouldn’t have been able to take back Malik Monk in a sign-and-trade with Sacramento without sending out another player, but a straight-up deal involving those two players (plus draft assets) would be cap-legal now.
- Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams still hasn’t been cleared for contact, head coach Chauncey Billups said on Monday, but he has been taking part in non-contact work and the team is “very happy” with the progress he has made (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report). Health issues have limited Williams to 26 total outings since he was traded to Portland two years ago.
25/26 Oldest Teams
Clippers 30.7
Warriors 28.7
Rockets 28.4
*Clippers roster could see significant changes in voided contracts
@noname617, those ages are deceiving because they apply to the entire roster, not key players. Warriors’ key players are much older than the Clippers’.
Warriors
———
Horford 39
Curry 37
Butler 36
Green 35
Clippers
———
Harden 36
Leonard 34
Beal 32
Zubac 28
Collins 28
That’s a young 39 for Horford. And an old 34 and 32 for Leonard and Beal. Beal on 32? Damn he looked zapped at times last year. Kawi plays 16 games a year.
Good morning to HR writers, readers, and reader-commenters.
And a great morning to you, fellow ball-knower!
The NBA has been very good to Robert Williams III.
Yet another year collecting $13M/yr while seated.
Been cleared for non-contact drills for 3 straight training camps.
Blazers’ FO claimed they turned down trade offers for him last season because they weren’t good enough.
Could be true another team sending their bad contracts for him.
It’s quite something. His last game was February 20th, so it’s been almost 8 months (after playing only 20 games last season, and just 9 in 2025).
I can’t imagine any team being dumb or desperate enough to trade for him.
Bulls fans said the same about Zach Levine
Lavine played 74 games last season putting up 23.3 ppg on extremely efficient 51%/45%/86% shooting, so I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make.
Bulls moved a bad contract. they tried for almost a year to move it off the books.
One mans trash is another mans fortune. All about the system and players around you. Zach isn’t worth max money. But he can be very effective in right system.
LaVine has played in one playoff series his entire career. You play to win games. Whatever he’s contributed number-wise has been meaningless to team success.
He does deserve credit for maintaining his athleticism after a catastrophic injury. There is no doubt he worked extremely hard rehabbing.
Yeah ok cause the Bulls were such a good team. Do you understand that it takes 5 guys to compete on court. And 3-5 more of the right players on your bench to win games. Its not 1 on 5.
1 on 5 is the exact description of Zach LaVine’s basketball IQ. He’s empty calories personified.
Makes you wonder why they traded for him. Then accepted the trade.
that was a horrible trade giving up Fox to get him. Levine is usable but only worth half of what he is being paid. He has never been the same after the injury.