Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta assigns Tim Hardaway Jr. to NBA D-League's Austin Spurs

Published Dec. 28, 2015 5:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

Despite two impressive seasons with the Knicks, Tim Hardaway Jr. has failed to materialize in his debut year with the Hawks.

According to their official Twitter account, Atlanta optioned Hardaway Jr. to the NBA D-League to play for the Austin Spurs. After averaging 11.5 points per game with New York last season, Hardaway averages 2.5 per game this year. His field goal percentage is an abysmal .231% (he shot .428 his rookie season) and scores just 0.5 3's per game (last season: 1.7) with .250% accuracy.

“I can promise you he is doing well and he is in a good place,” said coach Mike Budenholzer, via MyAJC.com. “A lot of it has been his approach to it. He’s been very professional. There is a real emphasis on player development with us and we’ve seen guys who have come in and maybe not started out gangbusters but through work, time and effort they find a way. I was say he is following that path in a very good way.”

This is Hardaway's second D-League stint. He played two games with the Canton Charge earlier in December.