The Detroit Pistons got off to a better-than-expected start this season and Tim Hardaway Jr's hot shooting was a big part of it.
He came out of the gate firing, hitting 16 from behind the arc in the first five games as a starter for the Pistons and was evolving into one of their most important floor spreaders.
He had Trajan Langdon looking like a genius early on, as THJ was providing exactly what the Pistons needed, is on an expiring contract, and came with a couple of second-round picks, though he did cost the Pistons Quention Grimes, a throw-in that is looking even more suspect now that the Pistons need that depth.
But THJ took a battering in the Miami game and hasn’t been the same since returning, a fact that may force the Pistons to make a move with Ausar Thompson potentially making his debut against Toronto tonight.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: The recalibration
We knew THJ wasn’t going to shoot 50 percent from 3-point range all season and that eventually he’d come back to his career norms, but that recalibration has happened abruptly.
We have to give Hardaway some slack here, as he was assaulted on that play against the Heat, including a full-on knee to the skull from his own teammate Jalen Duren.
But since returning from his injury, THJ hasn’t been able to hit the side of a barn. He is just 3-of-20 in the last three games and 1-of-16 from 3-point range, the area where the Pistons need him.
It hasn’t cost him his spot in the starting lineup, and we know he’s going to catch fire again at some point, but right now, his minutes are hurting the Pistons.
With Ausar Thompson returning, we could eventually see THJ supplanted in the starting five for the first time this season, though that is not likely to happen right away as Thompson works himself fully into game shape.
Thompson is not a shooter, but he offers far more than THJ if the latter is not hitting shots, as he’s not a great defender, doesn’t create with the ball and isn’t a threat in transition.
With Thompson still working his way back in, it’s likely THJ will get at least a couple more games to get his shot back on track, and the Pistons need him to, as they are hitting another tough stretch in the schedule and have already lost three straight.
This stretch may end up determining the direction the Pistons take this season, as they can stay afloat in the play-in picture with a few wins but may consider other options if they go on a lengthy losing streak, specifically when it comes to trading veterans on expiring deals.
It’s not hyperbole to say THJ’s shooting will play a big part in that decision, so the Pistons need to get him goor will have to consider changes to the starting five and possible future roster moves.