I’m glad he’s here ... he knows what it takes,” Ron Holland III said of Hardaway. “He’s done it, he knows all the sacrifices.”

THJ’s play and effect on the young team has given the Pistons a welcome problem, which is that he’s too important to just give away for late picks or in a salary dump, and they may not be able to find a suitable upgrade in a trade.

Tim Hardaway Jr. struggled greatly during the preseason. But instead of giving up, coach J.B. Bickerstaff continued to trust his veteran two-guard.