The biggest stories coming away from the Nuggets’ offseason have been the MPJ trade and the rise of the young players. But perhaps the most impactful move of the entire summer was signing Tim Hardaway Jr. on a veteran's minimum contract.
The deal that swapped Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson was the blockbuster move, and cleared the cap space for Denver to make some other deals, including bringing in THJ, plus adding Bruce Brown and trading for Jonas Valanciunas.
Those were thought to be depth moves on the margins, but thanks to injuries, the Nuggets have needed players to step up and play bigger roles, and nobody has been able to thread that needle better than Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway Jr. has appeared in a team-high 38 gams, playing over 27 minutes per contest. He has put up 13.8 points per game and shot over 41% on seven three-point attempts a night. His durability and consistency have been absolutely vital to the Nuggets, and having his level of shooting and floor spacing coming off the bench every night has been a savior for this team.
Hardaway Jr. the best value contract signed over the summer
Now 33 years old, Hardaway Jr. has bounced around the league, making big money and having large roles with varying degrees of success with the Knicks, Mavericks, and Hawks. He has become a bit of a veteran journeyman, having a great year last season with a young Pistons team.
But they went in another direction in the offseason, leaving THJ to find a new home. The fit was perfect as Denver badly needed a veteran shooter, and Hardaway Jr. needed a team that made him feel wanted.
Luckily, thanks to the MPJ deal, Denver had room to sign some veterans, and they added Tim on a one-year, $2.3 million veteran's minimum contract. They’ve already gotten that value, and then some, from the deal, as Hardaway Jr. has proven to be one of their most valuable and important players.
He’s not going to make an All-Star team or anything like that, but considering the contract he was signed to, and how big a role he has played for the 26-13 Nuggets, there’s an argument to be made that, dollar for dollar, Hardaway Jr. was the best and most impactful value signing in the entire NBA last offseason.