6 steps David Fizdale can take to revitalize the New York Knicks
3. Teach Tim Hardaway Jr. to defend
Tim Hardaway Jr.’s contract means he’s going to be a Knick for a long time. David Fizdale has to spend a lot of time trying to develop his game. He happens to be the team’s only legitimate option to become an above-average wing defender.
A lot has been written about Hardaway Jr.’s value on the offensive end, and he performed reasonably well on that end last year. He certainly has room to become more efficient and to grab a larger load of the offense, but that shouldn’t be his offseason focus.
Instead, Fizdale needs to challenge the 26-year-old wing to embrace the challenge of becoming a better defender. If the Knicks really want to compete in the Eastern Conference, they will need him to become a decent matchup for players like LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and DeMar Derozan.
Last season, he was solidly below average on defense. He’s never going to become a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but he can become an above average wing defender. That’s a very valuable thing in today’s NBA.