Jaden Hardy, Dallas Mavericks
During the 2022 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks took a gamble in the second round on a talented yet raw prospect in Jaden Hardy. That gamble began to pay off last season for the Mavs in which Hardy appeared in 48 games, averaging nine points on 40 percent shooting from 3-point range. The hope is that he will continue to develop and blossom into the player that some believed he could be heading into the pre-draft process last season.
And in the NBA Summer League, Hardy continued to show glimpses of greatness that the Mavs fell in love with at last year’s NBA Draft. In three games he played in, Hardy averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists per game. His shooting efficiencies were a bit off, but that’s not that foreign to see in summer league action.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of role Hardy ends up playing for the Mavs this season. He’s an intriguing talent but with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic being the focal points of the offense, it could be difficult to see (and feel) Hardy’s presence felt. Nevertheless, he’s an intriguing player to watch moving forward.