One of the moves the Denver Nuggets made this season to add depth (and shooting!) to the roster was signing Tim Hardaway Jr. to a veteran minimum contract. He averaged 11 points per game last season for the Pistons, shooting 36.8% from three. It wouldn't be surprising if he had somewhat of a resurgence in Denver playing alongside Nikola Jokic, but the latest prediction is a bit of a stretch.
Dave DuFour was a guest on "The Athletic NBA Daily" podcast, and he said that he thinks Hardaway will have an "amazing season." He even said that he believes Hardaway will have a 50-point game. No, he wasn't joking.
For reference, his career-high is 42 points, which happened in 2021 when he was with the Mavericks.
DuFour's reasoning for his THJ prediction is that not only will he be playing off Jokic, but playing with Jamal Murray will give Hardaway open looks. DuFour also noted that Hardaway has a thing for pull-up threes in transition.
Is there any chance Tim Hardaway Jr. will score 50 points this season?
To answer the above question, there is a chance, albeit a small one. If it were going to happen somewhere, it'd happen in Denver, right? Jokic can find Hardaway anywhere on the floor.
Should DuFour get his hopes up about Hardaway dropping 50 points in a game? No, but it might be too late for that. He said he would be disappointed if it didn't happen. No pressure, THJ!
The only expectation that Nuggets fans should have for Hardaway is that he'll hit threes at a somewhat consistent rate. He can get hot fast and be the microwave scorer off the bench that the Nuggets need. There will be nights when his shot isn't falling, but hopefully, those nights will be fewer than the times when his shot is falling.
Dropping 50 points in a game will be enough by itself to make Hardaway's contract look like a steal for Denver. What really matters, though, is the role he'll play in what the organization hopes will be a championship season. Who says no to 50 points in Game 7 of the 2026 NBA Finals?
In all seriousness, the Hardaway signing hasn't gotten as much love as the Nuggets' other moves, but that doesn't mean you should overlook the impact he can have.