IT'S HARDY TIME: Jaden Hardy looking like a decent prospect

[KillerLeft]

He had a play where he was able to change speeds and keep his dribble with his defender on his back and then let them pass by. Good feel.

I agree. His understanding of pace is already probably second best on the team. He's not as good as Brunson quite yet, but he has the potential to be that type of dependable, three-level scorer. He's a hell of a pick for a 2nd rounder.

[mvossman]

My bigger issue is guys who haven't earned minutes get them regardless.  Bullock and Powell can have five straight awful games and still get high minutes regardless.  

Hardy playing through and learning from his mistakes is far more valuable than playing guys who have hit their ceilings or are even regressing.  

He is going to look raw and miss assignments like all young rookies, but not getting on the court means he'll never get to his potential.

I agree with 2021 that Hardy should get some minutes with the regulars, but I don't know why you are bringing up Bullock or especially Powell.  Bullock has been terrible, but he did lose his starting spot and has had his minutes cut.  He is the only healthy 3&D player we have left, so he is going to get some minutes. 

Powell makes even less sense to bring up.  He has the highest net rating on the team, and with Maxi out and McGee useless you could make an argument for getting him more minutes.

[MrGoat]

https://twitter.com/MavsPR/status/1611399985043542017

Maybe Hardy is going to get more minutes. Or Kemba's knees were just absolutely cooked, his salary also would have become guaranteed tomorrow

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Yes Killer Left, his feel for pace is intuitive. As I’ve said before— Shades of Simons, albeit a less vertically explosive version. I’d be really hesitant to include him in any deals until we see more.

[KillerLeft]

I’d be really hesitant to include him in any deals until we see more.

I agree. It's really possible that he becomes the type of piece we are desperately hoping they can find in one of these trades. I think 6th man is only a couple of steps up from his floor and his ceiling is All Star. 

Ball-handlers who are good enough to create shots for themselves in the midrange to justify taking the analytics hit and allowing them are one of the new arms races, imo. That makes your offense so much more diverse and less predictable. It's essentially how Luka has been able to continue elevating his level of play these past couple of seasons. It's how Brunson got himself paid. It's what has kept CP3 and Lillard relevant for this long. It's what had some ready to give a role to Kemba Walker after one game. When you see someone who can do that, you notice and you want to see it more. Neither Dinwiddie or Hardaway have much of that in their games at all, and really, it's kind of rare in the game right now. It's why I would've gone much higher than the NY offer to keep Brunson, but...oh well. 

Hardy has that - he's a three-level scorer. An inexperienced one, but a three-level scorer. If they can get him to a place where he can be counted on to play an actual rotation role on a good team by, say...this time next year? To me, that's potentially a difference making development.

[ThisIStheYear]

Good move by the Mavs, finally, to clear up some minutes for Hardy.

[KillerLeft]

Good move by the Mavs, finally, to clear up some minutes for Hardy.

Temporarily, at least.

[F Gump]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1611398603553050631

I don't believe this at all, at least not in the way it's being offered. I think it's front office spin, offering up a non-financial fan-friendly explanation for a pure money move, but not necessarily the real or whole story.

As I see it, Walker was waived based on a conclusion that his knees didn't make him dependable enough for Cuban to want to guarantee the minimum salary. It's a long time from now for his knees to hold up to be available in the playoffs. The timing was exactly when they were forced to make that all-or-none money decision, so they made it.

So I don't think it was an endorsement of the progress of Hardy or Wright at all. Hopefully one, the other, or both can make a contribution, but if neither gets any particular bump in minutes or role, or if the Mavs make moves cycling other guard help through here instead, don't be surprised.

It's also not impossible that the Mavs might bring back Walker right before the end of the season, if he hasn't latched on somewhere else before then.

[KillerLeft]

I don't believe this at all, at least not in the way it's being offered. I think it's front office spin, offering up a non-financial fan-friendly explanation for a pure money move, but not necessarily the real or whole story.

As I see it, Walker was waived based on a conclusion that his knees didn't make him dependable enough for Cuban to want to guarantee the minimum salary. It's a long time from now for his knees to hold up to be available in the playoffs. The timing was exactly when they were forced to make that all-or-none money decision, so they made it.

So I don't think it was an endorsement of the progress of Hardy or Wright at all. Hopefully one, the other, or both can make a contribution, but if neither gets any particular bump in minutes or role, or if the Mavs make moves cycling other guard help through here instead, don't be surprised.

It's also not impossible that the Mavs might bring back Walker right before the end of the season, if he hasn't latched on somewhere else before then.

I agree that the Hardy stuff is spin, but then again we're talking about a player (Walker) who was NOT in the rotation, so it's honestly not a stretch to imagine the combo of Wright and Hardy covering the minutes he was actually playing. 

I think this is the spot we should keep an eye on with trades, personally.

[ThisIStheYear]

The right thing for the wrong reason is still the right thing. The Mavs seem to do that a lot (JB, Wood, now maybe Hardy getting a more important role).  Hardy could be a nice complementary piece with explosive moves to the basket that can take advantage of space created by defenses focusing on Luka.  Luka changes defensive alignments like no other player in the NBA (and no one is really even comparable).  Or, maybe Hardy can add some needed bench scoring, which is suffering with Wood starting.  I don’t know if his defense will be viable, but they need to give him a shot.

[KillerLeft]

I don’t know if his defense will be viable,

I have a feeling this is going to be the question for the kid's entire early career, but I don't see why he can't get there.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

I have a feeling this is going to be the question for the kid's entire early career, but I don't see why he can't get there.

My initial concern with Hardy was that even if he learned good defense he would be limited by his size but one thing that's really jumped out to me is that he really doesn't look very small when he's out there (at least as small as I expected when we drafted him).  I didn't realize until I saw it somewhere last night is that his wingspan is 6'9", he has all the tools he needs to put everything together.

[KillerLeft]

My initial concern with Hardy was that even if he learned good defense he would be limited by his size but one thing that's really jumped out to me is that he really doesn't look very small when he's out there (at least as small as I expected when we drafted him).  I didn't realize until I saw it somewhere last night is that his wingspan is 6'9", he has all the tools he needs to put everything together.

I agree completely. He's not a leaper, but he's plenty quick and his length is INSANE to me. Dude is all arms. If those quick feet can learn how to be quick on defense, the sky is the limit.

[Jason Terry]

Hardy is just what the doctor ordered. Athleticism, speed, ball handling, length,  attack ability are all qualities he has that we need.

Defense, energy, efficiency, motor are the areas he needs to show us and the sky would be the limit

Between Green and Hardy I’m comfortable moving on from some of THJ, Bullock, Frank, Kemba. We need this young core and maybe look to add to this somehow through trade, undrafted FA’s, buying a 2nd, etc 

Building up the THJ trade value is more important right now but a trade freeing up those minutes for development i don’t feel this changes our seeding any. And will pay dividends in future seasons

[DallasMaverick]

Hardy is just what the doctor ordered. Athleticism, speed, ball handling, length,  attack ability are all qualities he has that we need.

Defense, energy, efficiency, motor are the areas he needs to show us and the sky would be the limit

Between Green and Hardy I’m comfortable moving on from some of THJ, Bullock, Frank, Kemba. We need this young core and maybe look to add to this somehow through trade, undrafted FA’s, buying a 2nd, etc 

Building up the THJ trade value is more important right now but a trade freeing up those minutes for development i don’t feel this changes our seeding any. And will pay dividends in future seasons

Super impressed with Nico's acumen in talent evaluation and draft-day manuevering to make this pick.  Or Mark's, whichever it was.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/...8387984384

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/jcverret/status/1611923664424894464

[dynamicalVoid]

Hardy/Green/Wood for Kyle Lowry.

Its in line with Dallas thinking

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/MavsMuse/status/1611945645635518466

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1...0676777985