Tim Hardaway Jr. just made Nuggets look even better for Michael Porter Jr. trade

The NBA announced on Sunday that Tim Hardaway Jr. was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year, reaffirming the Denver Nuggets' decision to sign him. Guess what helped them do that? The Michael Porter Jr. trade created about $17 million in cap space for the front office to round out the roster.

Hardaway averaged 13.5 points on 44.7% shooting from the field and 40.7% from three in 26.6 minutes across 80 games for Denver during the regular season. It was the first time he's shot above 40% from deep across his decade-plus career.

He's already made his $2.3 million contract look like a steal, but finishing as a finalist for Sixth Man makes that deal look even better. And guess what? THJ can continue to do so, regardless of whether he wins the award, throughout the playoffs with a couple of big performances.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year

Denver's front office duo prioritized adding depth to the roster last summer after the team's second straight semifinal elimination. After the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets, Nikola Jokić noted that playoff teams had long benches.

Fans weren't very confident Denver could trade Porter because of his contract. It cost a first-round pick, but they got a deal done with the Nets, who had the cap space to take on MPJ. It was a mutually beneficial deal for both sides, but once the season started, Brooklyn looked better, as Cam Johnson struggled and then got hurt. Porter took advantage of being the top option.

The tide has since turned, with Cam looking like the player the Nuggets traded for, but what the doubters overlooked was the other pieces Denver got by parting with Porter.

Before Hardaway even played in a game, everyone knew that he'd benefit from playing with a team like the Nuggets, and alongside Nikola Jokić. Even then, he exceeded expectations, and not just because he missed only two regular-season games on a team that couldn't stay healthy.

One of the best things about THJ is that he's not afraid to let it fly; his 6.9 attempts per game rank second behind Jamal Murray's 7.5 during the regular season. Hardaway was a welcome addition to a team that attempted a league-low 31.9 threes last season, averaging 12 makes, third-worst in the NBA.

We're a little biased, but watching Hardaway have a career year at 34 and impact winning for a top team in the West helps to make a pretty good Sixth Man case.

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