The 1 thing keeping Mavericks from trading Jaden Hardy continues to reveal itself

The Dallas Mavericks are no strangers to the NBA trade deadline. Last season, the team traded for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. This was a win for Dallas, as both players played a key role in helping the Mavs advance to the NBA Finals. They were dynamic in helping turn the team's defense around and helped strengthen the team's frontcourt.

This season Dallas is again open to making a trade. The Mavs are reportedly one of the most active teams ahead of next month's deadline. This means that Nico Harrison could again bring valuable players to the team. He could help improve the team's need for a defensive wing and backup power forward.

Quentin Grimes and Maxi Kleber are two players the Mavs could trade. Both players have been gauging trade interest from other teams. It has been reported they are the two names being thrown around, as they are the main ones "who have a market." It would be interesting to see what Harrison would want for both players, as Grimes would come with a heavy price.

Hardy's offensive explosiveness and shooting are priceless to Dallas

However, one player who has become untradeable is Jaden Hardy. Over the past two weeks, he has become one of the team's top offensive players. Hardy is averaging 16.6 points per game in January while shooting a whopping 55.6 percent from the 3-point line. He is knocking down 55.4 percent of his shots from the field.

One thing that stands out about Hardy is his offensive explosiveness. He has the ability to get hot at various times, as his shooting can take over games. For example, against the Los Angeles Lakers last Tuesday, Hardy went on an offensive tear. During the third quarter, he knocked down three straight 3-point attempts to put the Mavs up by 12. His shot hand helped Dallas outscore the Lakers by eight points in the third.

Hardy is a great catch-and-shot player who can knock down long-range buckets. Against the Trail Blazers Thursday he had another solid outing. Hardy scored a season-high 25 points, knocking down five 3-pointers. In 38 seconds, Hardy knocked down two out of his three 3-point attempts. He can also contribute in other ways by passing the ball well and attacking the basket from different angles.

Over his last four games, Hardy averaged 18 points per game while shooting 53.9 percent from downtown. His offensive game has played a major role in helping Dallas go on a two-game winning streak. Whenever Hardy is laser-focused he can easily get into the zone. He does a great job letting his offensive game do the talking.

The problem is Hardy can sometimes let his guard down. He sometimes becomes overly aggressive and struggles to shoot the ball off the bounce. This means that sometimes he can go on random cold streaks. This is why Hardy struggled at the beginning of the season. He shot 50 percent in the Mavs' opening game, then missed all four of his 3-pointer attempts the following game.

If Hardy can continue playing at a high level the Mavs could keep him long-term. His offensive explosions will be key to helping him become a permanent guard off the bench, especially with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving out.

It wasn't too long ago that Mavs fans were questioning whether or not to trade Hardy. Now, it seems that he is someone they can't afford to lose. All Hardy needs to do is keep playing his game and prove his worth to the team. This could make Dallas' decision to keep him even tougher.

Look for Jaden Hardy to help the Dallas Mavericks extend their winning streak on Sunday when they take on the Denver Nuggets.