Apart from signing All-Star wing Klay Thompson in free agency this year, the Dallas Mavericks have also made other moves to strengthen their roster for next season. One of those decisions is to lock Jaden Hardy’s $2 million salary and guarantee it for the upcoming campaign.
Hardy attended Coronado High School in Henderson, Nevada, where he had a standout junior season, averaging 30.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. This earned him honors as the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year and Las Vegas Review-Journal Boys Athlete of the Year.
The young wing was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2021 class. He was expected to play college basketball, with Kentucky and UCLA being his most likely destinations. However, he announced he would forgo college and join the NBA G League Ignite, a developmental team affiliated with the NBA G League.
During the 2021-22 season with the Ignite, Hardy averaged 17.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He was then selected 37th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, who traded him to the Dallas Mavericks on draft night.
He joined the team for the 2022 NBA Summer League, where he had an impressive debut with 28 points. In the 2022-23 NBA season, Hardy has continued to make an impact for the Mavericks, including a career-high 29 points in a game against the Utah Jazz.
Dallas Mavericks Locks Jaden Hardy for the 2024-25 NBA Season
Apart from getting Thompson, Dallas also lost Derrick Jones Jr. when he signed up with the Los Angeles Clippers. This prompted the Mavs’ front office to guarantee Hardy’s salary for next season, as seen in a tweet by Michael Scotto on.
In the two seasons Hardy played with Luka Doncic and company, the shooting guard averaged 7.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He also connected 42 percent of his field goals, 38 percent from downtown, and 80 percent from the free throw line.
Hardy’s presence in the lineup ensures an athletic wing who can defend the ball and shoot it from deep on a consistent basis. With Dallas guaranteeing him for next season, Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Thompson can focus more on creating plays and getting buckets in games
