Can Jaden Hardy finally break through with the Mavericks?
The Dallas Mavericks are currently in need of guards, more than any other position in their locker room. That’s a good thing for Jaden Hardy. Had Luka Doncic not been traded, and had Kyrie Irving not subsequently injured his knee, it was beginning to seem as if Hardy would be gone next season. He likely would have been moved as part of a trade package for a quality defender, even though his value took a major hit this last season due to the fact that he was frequently unplayable in critical minutes.
Hardy showed flashes of potential in his first season with Dallas, displaying a first step that had many defenders on their heels, but suffered a slump during the last couple of seasons, appearing to have lost some of his speed.
His shooting percentage also hasn’t been anything to write home about, nor has his defense. Hardy’s not a bad player. He’s just very inconsistent. I still root for him and think he could take a big step in his development, but it just hasn’t happened as of yet. And for a team that has dreams of championships in their head, after having lost to a very consistent Celtics team in 2024, a steady curve towards improvement had become a necessity for any guard on the Maverick’s lineup. But now that the aforementioned events have taken place and Dallas’s backcourt is very much depleted compared to this time one season ago, the Mavericks are desperately short on quality guards, much to Hardy’s benefit.
Their front court has become a major talking point, though, after adding Anthony Davis in the Luka trade to play alongside Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson, and promising rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper. Add number one pick Cooper Flagg, and that group has more talent than it knows what to do with, leaving many to speculate that someone may have to go in order to secure backcourt additions that will be vital to putting together a championship season, especially with Irving missing most of next season.
Nico Harrison recently told the media the Mavericks’ strong front court is staying as it is heading into the 2025-2026 season. I don’t really trust anything that guys says, though, so it’s worth keeping an eye out on that situation.
If something did come to pass, and someone like Marshall was moved in order to bring in another starting caliber guard to go along with the likes of Max Christie, would that finally be the nail in Hardy’s coffin and send him packing from Dallas? Time will tell.