Trade & FA 2024-25:

[Smitty]

This. It's time to declare intentions with him, imo. I don't think you get years and years to develop players anymore. Once they get on that second contract, they had better not be on your team unless you want to PLAY them. 

If you give him the keys to the bench unit, it's not like you can't take them away later, but I'd want to know how that looks before doing anything if I were in their shoes. 

And, if they've seen enough already to know they don't like it (possible, given the board's temperature on him), I'd absolutely want to turn him into a 2nd round pick, use him as throw-in for something, whatever...soon.

I’ve probably been harshest on Hardy. The biggest eye opener for me was Summer League last year when they tried to make him a point guard and it went miserably. They clearly WANT him to be a combo guard but to me it’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I have no idea if they think the same. 

To me he’s Tim Hardaway Jr. lite. Check this out:

Per 36

Player A
73 GP , 19.3 PPG , 4.8 RBS , 4.0 AST, 2.3 TOV , 40.7 FG% , 36.2 3PT% , 77.6 FT% , DEFRTG 114.5

Player B
79 GP , 19.3 PPG , 4.3 RBS , 2.4 AST, 1.2 TOV , 40.2 FG% , 35.3 3PT% , 85.2 FT% , DEFRTG 113.4


Player A is Jaden Hardy and Player B is Tim Hardaway Jr.


His pending contract situation and Agent, combined with the news of looking for backcourt help just lead me to the conclusion that they want to move him and/or they aren’t high on Exum. Hardy did show signs of life late in the playoffs but so did Exum in his limited run. 

Getting a SRP for either, if they can, makes some sense… and with Hardy’s supposed upside he’s the one that might net you 1 or 2. Who knows??