NBA Free Agency: Nuggets Bolster Spacing With Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Denver Nuggets continue to bolster their depth in free agency, signing former Detroit Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

Free agent sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. Hardaway had a strong season for the Pistons' resurgent 2024-25 campaign and now Denver officials finalize a deal with Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports. pic.twitter.com/XUaslGumBf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

Hardaway thrived in an off-ball, movement shooting role for the Pistons last year and helped bring them to the postseason. His offense doesn’t extend much beyond 3-point shooting, but he made 36.8 percent of his 5.8 triples per 75 possessions (79th percentile volume). He posted the lowest usage rate of his career last season (15.2 percent) but his best true shooting (57.1) since 2021.

He won’t add much value on defense, where Denver already has quite a few limited perimeter players. A strong defensive ecosystem in Detroit helped Hardaway somewhat on that end, especially competing as an on-ball defender. But the Nuggets didn’t sign Hardaway for his defensive value.

Grade: A-

Despite extremely poor depth, the Nuggets pushed the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the second round this past. They had to rely on players like Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook, all of whom have significant drawbacks on one or both ends of the floor.

Hardaway on a minimum  dealmakes quite a bit of sense as a low-cost veteran addition. Another capable body on the wing who can add spacing next to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will boost an already scary Denver offense.

He has plenty of experience playing next to elite passers (Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham) and should enjoy life in Denver’s motion offense, which favors movement shooters like him. There’s very little downside for the Nuggets, as they can easily move on if they choose that route. Otherwise, they’ll simply benefit from having a high-level shooter like Hardaway elevate a bench unit that struggled to properly space the floor last season.