Hardaway ready for 2nd chance in New York
Timberwolves sign vets Gibson, Teague
NEW YORK — Tim Hardaway Jr. thought that with Phil Jackson gone, maybe there was a chance someday he could come back to New York.
Even he was surprised it was this soon.
With Jackson and his triangle offense gone, the Knicks reached back to their past to sign Hardaway, a former first-round pick who didn’t fit under Jackson but they hope can flourish without him.
“I definitely left with a bad taste in my mouth and just to have that opportunity to come back here is very rare, so you’ve got to make the most of that,” Hardaway said Monday.
Jackson and the Knicks parted ways last month after three dismal seasons and were quiet at the start of free agency until signing Hardaway to an offer sheet for a four-year, $71 contract. When the Atlanta Hawks decided not to match the offer for the restricted free agent, Hardaway was officially a Knick again on Saturday.
“You play here for two years and then you’re gone and then two years after you get a phone call and it’s like, ‘Wow, I wouldn’t expect it coming from them,’” Hardaway said.
The 6-foot-6 guard was the No. 24 pick in the 2013 draft after helping Michigan reach the NCAA championship game and was voted to the All-Rookie first team. Jackson was hired as team president late in that season, fired coach Mike Woodson and hired Derek Fisher to replace him and implement the triangle.
Hardaway shot just 39 percent in 2014-15 as the Knicks stumbled to a franchise-worst 17-65 finish, and Jackson dealt Hardaway to Atlanta in a three-team deal on draft night for the rights to first-round pick Jerian Grant.
TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota finalized contracts with power forward Taj Gibson and point guard Jeff Teague, two complementary additions to a roster that has undergone a huge overhaul.
Gibson and Teague signed their deals on Monday before an introductory news conference at team headquarters. Gibson (two years, $28 million) and Teague (three years, $57 million) agreed to terms earlier this month during the moratorium period for free agency.
Gibson (Chicago) and Teague (Atlanta) were both first-round draft picks in 2009. Between them, they have 127 games of postseason experience.
KINGS: Sacramento has signed guard Vince Carter, the team announced Monday.
Carter, who entered the league with the Toronto Raptors in 1998, is joining his seventh team. He played the last three seasons in Memphis, where he averaged 8 points and 1.8 assists per game last season.
The 40-year-old Carter ranks 27th all-time in points scored (24,555), fifth in 3-pointers (2,049) and 13th in games played (1,347).
GRIZZLIES: Memphis has signed guard Tyreke Evans.
The Grizzlies announced the signing Monday. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Evans, who played collegiately at Memphis, split last season between the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 40 games.
The 27-year-old has averaged 16.1 points. 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists over his eight-year NBA career. He was named the 2009-10 NBA rookie of the year.