STOCK RISING: With a $71 million contract, a lot will be expected of Tim Hardaway Jr. But he probably won’t face the same scrutiny as Kristaps Porzingis. Hardaway Jr. is athletic, talented offensively and a good fit for what Jeff Hornacek wants to run — an up-tempo offense. His game evolved and he matured in his two years in Atlanta. It should help him now because he has to have a good attitude amid some difficult times and show he’s improved defensively.
STOCK FALLING: All the talk about defense. The Knicks say every season that they’re committed to play defense, and they rarely are.