Last season Tim Hardaway Jr. wavered between being a starter for the Dallas Mavericks, or as their primary scoring option coming off the bench.
Going into this season, that indecisiveness won’t be there.
On Tuesday, the second day of training camp, coach Jason Kidd announced that Hardaway would be the Mavs’ starting shooting guard this season. Well, actually that important decision was made before training camp.
“I asked him in the summer what he wanted to do, and he wanted to think about it,” Kidd said. “So when he came back – that was enough time for him to think – and I asked for the answer, and he wants to start. And I believe he should start.”
In 31 starts last year, Hardaway averaged 18.6 points and shot 45 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from 3-point range. In 39 games off the bench last year, the 6-5, 205-pounder averaged 15.1 points and converted 44.4 percent of his field goals and 38.5 percent of his 3-pointers.
With the ‘will he start or will he come off the bench?’ debate ended prior to Wednesday’s preseason opener against the Utah Jazz at American Airlines Center, Hardaway can’t wait to show off his leadership skills. The 29-year old is entering his ninth season and believes that side of his game has been largely untapped.
“I do feel like I’ve created that niche where I am a leader on the team,” Hardaway said. “With that being said though, I do know my role and I do know who keeps this thing churning is J-Kidd and Luka (Doncic) and KP (Kristaps Porzingis).
“We’re definitely going to have to need everybody to be on deck. I’m just there to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
This will be Kidd’s second time having an up-close and personal relationship with a member of the Hardaway family. From Kidd’s rookie season as a player with the Mavs in 1994 until 2003, Kidd played in the NBA against Tim Hardaway Sr.
Kidd and Hardaway Sr. also teamed up and helped…