Tim Hardaway thrilled his son is joining Heat: ‘We’ve been waiting on this for a long time’
The first Tim Hardaway to play for the Miami Heat is thrilled that another Tim Hardaway is joining the Heat.
“When it became official, it was great. We are very happy,” Tim Hardaway Sr. said of his son joining an organization that he once starred for. “We’ve been waiting on this for a long time.”
The Heat committed a one-year contract worth $6.5 million to three-point shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. early in free agency on Tuesday night. Hardaway Jr. can’t formally sign the contract until Monday.
The agreement brings the 34-year-old Hardaway Jr. back to Miami, where he grew up and graduated from Palmetto High School before playing at Michigan in college and then being drafted by the New York Knicks with the 24th overall pick in 2013. Hardaway Jr. still lives in Miami during the NBA offseason.
“A couple of times we tried to get him there, but it just didn’t work,” Hardaway Sr. said. “It just didn’t work. This time it worked out. And he’s happy. We’re happy. He’s at home, he’s where he wants to be at.”
Hardaway Jr., who is preparing for his 14th NBA season, played for five different teams in the NBA before joining the Heat this offseason. He has already played for the Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets.
Hardaway Jr. is coming off a strong season, averaging 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 44.7% from the field and 40.7% on 6.9 three-point attempts per game in 80 appearances (6 starts) last regular season with the Nuggets. That was good enough for him to finish third in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Hardaway Sr. believes his son will fit in well with the Heat as a three-point shooting floor spacer around its leading duo of Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I’m happy because they play the right way,” Hardaway Sr. said. “Erik Spoelstra makes sure they play the right way. They make sure that they get in offense, run offense. The first priority is three-point shooters. Get your shooters off. Let’s get a shot as quickly as we can first and see if we get an easy shot. And then after that, let’s run some offense. Let’s go down, set some screens. Let’s move, pass, and cut. Play the right way. Spacing, all that type of stuff. It fits right into Tim’s game. That’s what he likes to do. That’s how he likes to play. And it fits right into his style.”
While Hardaway Jr. is months away from beginning his first season with the Heat, Hardaway Sr. spent six memorable seasons in Miami from 1996 to 2001 and teamed up with Alonzo Mourning to make the Heat a consistent playoff team. Hardaway Sr. averaged 17.3 points, 7.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range in 367 regular-season appearances with the Heat.
Among the Heat’s all-time leaders, Hardaway Sr. ranks third in three-pointers made (806), second in assists (2,867) and seventh in steals (541). He’s widely regarded as one of the best point guards in Heat history.
“Well, right now, I can picture it,” Hardaway Sr., 59, said when asked what he imagines it will be like to watch his son play for the Heat. “But when I’m there at the arena and I see it firsthand, yeah, there are going to be some emotions on my part. Yes, I’ll have some tears in my eyes. Yes, I’ll be excited. Yes, I’ll be frantic. Yes, I’ll be all of the above.”
Many of the faces who were around for Hardaway Sr.’s Heat tenure are still going to be around for Hardaway Jr.’s Heat tenure. From Heat president Pat Riley to head coach Erik Spoelstra to general manager Andy Elisburg to owner Micky Arison, there will be plenty of familiar faces for Hardaway Jr.
“I feel like it’s the right fit for him,” Hardaway Sr. said. “I feel that it’s the right time for him. I feel that he really, really wanted to go there and play for his home team, the Miami Heat. And he’s happy. That’s all. I just want him to be happy. And when you’re happy with where you’re going, it puts another outcome into your play. You feel confident. You go out there and play confident. You go out there and play well. You do what you need to do for your team.”
But don’t expect Hardaway Jr. to wear the No. 10 Heat jersey that Hardaway Sr. made famous. After all, Hardaway Sr. is one of six players in franchise history who have their jersey retired by the Heat.
Hardaway Jr. will instead wear No. 11 for the Heat.
“He cannot wear No. 10. Let’s understand that,” Hardaway Sr. said with a laugh. “That’s up in the rafters. That’s not coming down. I’m not giving anybody permission. Don’t call me. Don’t ask me. It’s going to be a stern no. And I already told him that if he ever goes there, no.”
