Report: Signing Tim Hardaway Jr. shocked some within Knicks

Signing Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year, $71 million contract was wild, because, well, it’s Tim Hardaway Jr. – a spot-up shooter with only emerging creating ability and significant defensive improvement that lifted him to just below average.

But also because the Knicks have no permanent front-office leader since ousting Phil Jackson.

General manager Steve Mills has assumed control as the Knicks look for Jackson’s replacement. Usually, that instability means caution.

Mills went the other way, which could be fine. Except not everyone within the franchise knew he would.

Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN:

Mills made the decision to sign Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year, $71 million contract, a move that has been met with shock inside and outside the organization.

This contract probably didn’t help the Knicks with David Griffin, who withdrew from the search. At that price, Hardaway is a liability for the Knicks’ next front-office head to deal with. Maybe that’ll be Mills, especially now?

Perhaps, this is just short-term disarray that will sort itself out once the Knicks name someone to lead the front office.

But based on everything we know about owner James Dolan’s reign, this is generally par for the course. If not a temporary roster-assembler making moves that will handcuff the team for years, chaos will continue in one form or another.