Tim Hardaway Jr. or Langston Galloway: Who Is Better New York Knicks Prospect?
In a season filled with disappointment and bad losses, the New York Knicks finally caught a break Tuesday, when they took down the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in overtime.
Phil Jackson would surely love to try and translate the win into something meaningful for this rebuild, but with just five current Knicks under contract for next season, even that may heed disappointing results. Especially when one of those five players, Tim Hardaway Jr., didn't even suit up in the victory.
Hardaway sat out with a wrist injury, opening even more minutes for Langston Galloway, the undrafted rookie that's burst onto the scene since a January call-up. Playing nearly the entire game—47:36 of burn—Galloway put in 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting to go along with four assists and four boards.
The pair of 23-year-olds have each given the Knicks a good look at their skill sets, and though it's difficult to gauge on such a horrible team, their play to this point raises an interesting yet simple debate, considering their shared position in the backcourt and potential battle for minute on an improved roster next season:
Which one is better?
A Step in the Wrong Direction
Hardaway's rookie campaign wasn't without its highlights. He clinched All-Rookie First Team honors, averaging 10.2 points per game on 42.8 percent shooting over 23.5 minutes under Mike Woodson—a coach notorious for shunning young players. Through his first 46 games, his 47.1 percent clip from the field—including 41.7 percent from behind the arc—had the team rightfully optimistic about his long-term prospects.
Hardaway's ability to finish at the rim was impressive. Among rookies who took at least 100 such attempts last season, only Mason Plumlee finished at a better clip within five feet, according to NBA.com.
Hardaway's jumper was a threat from outside, and after three similar seasons at Michigan in the college ranks, Hardaway's floor as a pro seemed promising—perhaps a seventh or eighth man and instant offense off the bench.
But his flaws were clear, even during his most successful stretches. Among 75 qualified shooting guards, only Gary Neal posted a worse defensive real plus-minus last year, according to ESPN.com.
Per NBA.com, Hardaway averaged just 17.3 passes per game—that even counts passes made in the backcourt and to set up plays early in the shot clock. That was the lowest average on the team, and the closest guard was Iman Shumpert with 24 passes per game.
Heading into this season, Hardaway had proved his scoring ability. But 2014-15 was important for the guard's development in all other areas.
Particularly in Derek Fisher's triangle, Hardaway's sophomore campaign seemed like the perfect opportunity to work on his vision, playmaking and off-ball movement. But thanks to several injuries and Jackson's roster upheaval, Hardaway has become the offense's de facto first option.
Now being relied on for 11.5 shots per game since Dec. 10 and needing to carry whatever offense the Knicks can scrap together, Hardaway's progression in other areas has been put on hold. Below is Hardaway's shot chart this season, via NBA.com.
All of Hardaway's shooting percentages have dipped this season, and the 1.1 extra points he's averaging per game are offset by the 1.6 more shots he's attempting. The most striking drop-off has been his finishing skill—his percentage at the rim has fallen from 67.9 to 59.7 percent from year one to year two.
Concerning is how little Hardaway looks to attack the basket this year. He's done most of his scoring from the mid-range and the perimeter, and moving without the ball still doesn't come naturally. He's been able to pull off a flashy dump-off pass in transition now and again, but those are the exceptions, not the rule, and mainly the extent of his playmaking.
On defense, he ranks 85th among 98 qualified shooting guards in ESPN's real plus-minus. His passes per game have raised significantly as a product of the system, from 17.3 to 31.1 in roughly the same playing time, per NBA.com.
Considering the stage that he set during his rookie campaign, Hardaway's 2014-15 season has been an extreme disappointment, and it may have cost him his title as New York's most highly touted prospect.
Enter the Underdog
Signing on with New York before training camp after an impressive four-year run at St. Joseph's, Galloway was one of the final Knicks to be cut in the preseason.
After posting 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists with the Westchester Knicks in 19 NBA Development League games, the 6'2" combo guard was signed to a pair of 10-day contracts with the NBA club before being extended a contract that runs through next season.
He doesn't have ideal size to man the 2-guard spot and isn't a natural playmaker, but his ability to create off the dribble and fearless attacking ability has made for a promising combination of skills through 29 pro games (25 starts).
His 39.3 field-goal percentage is concerning, but Galloway has drilled threes at a 35.6 percent clip, which is fourth-best among current Knicks.
Defensively, at 41st, he ranks just outside the top half of qualified point guards in ESPN's real plus-minus. New York's efficiency on that end improves by a point per 100 possessions while he's on the floor. That's a combined three-point advantage over Hardaway's on/off number.
In his 13 games since the All-Star break—the unofficial transition point in the Knicks' season after losing Carmelo Anthony to injury and Amar'e Stoudemire to the Dallas Mavericks—Galloway has shot 43.6 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three.
His size has posed issues when driving to the rim, as he has posted just a 30.4 percent clip on drives, according to NBA.com. But among current Knicks with at least 15 games played, Galloway is one of three players to create at least one point per game for teammates off drives.
Watching Galloway's style of play this year is entertaining, of not refined. He lacks an overpowering, great skill, but a great motor and drive ultimately win out—especially on this Knicks roster, without many overwhelming talents. He plays about as recklessly as a rookie could, but it opens opportunities for his teammates on occasion—and given the workload he's being handed, he's impressed.
Defensively, he brings the same intensity, though more seasoning will help resolve some of the issues he has with positioning himself to defend NBA-speed guards.
How his game could translate to a contending NBA team is still a question, but for these Knicks, he's contributed in ways that they haven't been able to find elsewhere. In 21 of his 29 games, Galloway's individual plus-minus has been better than the Knicks' margin of victory or defeat.
How Do They Stack Up?
Scoring doesn't come as naturally for Galloway in comparison to his 23-year-old backcourt running mate, but Hardaway trails Galloway's progression in nearly every other area.
Looking back to his three years at Michigan, Hardaway's stat lines hardly look different than the ones he's posted as a pro. His lack of year-to-year collegiate improvement was concerning from day one, but that lack of development continuing as a Knick has to have the organization worried about his long-term prospects.
Neither player has enjoyed great success in general terms, but in the context of this Knicks team, Galloway has meant more to New York's rare glimpses of success than the second-year Hardaway has.
Considering Hardaway's lack of progression to this point, it may be difficult to expect significant strides from him moving forward—leaving Galloway's versatile skill set as the safer long-term bet for the Knicks.
Follow me on Twitter at @JSDorn6.
Stats from Sports-Reference.com and NBA.com.
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