While Landry Shamet is returning, the Knicks could still look to bolster their free agent bench with proven veterans on the wing, especially if Jordan Clarkson doesn’t return.
Familiar face Tim Hardaway Jr. has been named as a potential target for New York in recent days, given his connections and the scoring touch he could provide for little money.
However, it looks like Hardaway Jr. could be snatched up quickly as a free agent. NBA reporter Marc Stein reports that Hardaway Jr. is a “priority” target for the Heat.
League sources tell @JakeLFischer and I that Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Conley Jr. are expected to be priority free agent targets for Miami following the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
This is just one of MANY items in our Sunday Intel Best NBA picks: pic.twitter.com/6oHkPU1KbO
— Mark Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 28, 2026
Based on the mystery of the last 48 hours, it appears that a Hardaway-Knicks reunion is not in the cards.
Tim Hardaway Jr. now has a strong chance of joining the Knicks as a free agent
Hardaway may not be the same level of defender as Shamet, but from a reserve perspective, Hardaway would be a good player. He’s a quick catch-and-shoot defender who can warm up from three angles and doesn’t require many other touches.
He has a reputation as a reliable player in the dressing room (he is now 34 years old) and although he is not a strong defender, he is a good competitor who plays with heart.
If Clarkson is chasing a bigger payday from someone else, Hardaway will be the one to round out the second-string forward rotation with Shamet and Mohamed Diawara. Having multiple options proved vital to New York’s title run this season, as multiple guys helped win the championship at different times.
Shamet definitely had his moments, but there were times when he also struggled in the playoffs. Things are even worse for Miles McBride in the postseason, and his future with the team is incredibly uncertain. This makes having another strong scoring option for Mike Brown off the bench an extremely important item on the free agency agenda.
Landing a spark plug like Hardaway, who can be had on the cheap and is still looking for his first ring, is the kind of shrewd move a contender makes to improve his chances of another deep playoff run. His experience, combined with the ability to operate comfortably as a sixth man or even start if needed, makes him a valuable asset.
After trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat are left with limited resources to add shooting and veteran depth. But they could offer Hardaway a bigger role than the Knicks likely could, which could help make an impact.
Of course, the Heat were also interested in Shamet, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Losing to him will only make Miami crave Hardaway even more for his immediate offensive burst and three-point shooting.
Free agency can take unexpected turns, so it’s possible the Heat could end up moving in a different direction. But at the same time, Hardaway Jr.’s third stint in New York is even less likely, which is a direct byproduct of re-signing Shamet.
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