Mavericks face impossible trade gamble as offseason refuses to end

After the Dallas Mavericks signed D'Angelo Russell to a two-year deal on the opening night of free agency, fans thought that the team's offseason moves were over, as they already had 15 players on standard contracts and hadn't been tied into any other big rumors. A few days later, Dallas signed Dante Exum to a one-year deal, bringing their number of players on standard contracts to 16, meaning that they will be forced to make a trade or a different roster move at some point this summer to make room for Exum.

It seems like Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Jaden Hardy will be the two lead candidates to be traded, as Prosper has already been in trade rumors this offseason and needs playing time to develop, and he likely won't be getting much of that in Dallas since their frontcourt is so loaded with talent and size.

On the other hand, Hardy is set to make $18 million over the next three seasons, and his development path has gone up and down over his first three seasons in the NBA. Hardy has had some great moments, like being a staple in the rotation during the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and showing considerable growth as a creator, but he has also had some bad moments, as fans question if his unique ball-dominant play style as a two guard will fit in Dallas for the long term.

Why Prosper or Hardy may be the Mavericks' odd man out

Regardless of who the Mavs decide to trade or waive, it will likely be one of the two aforementioned youngsters, and this could end up being a tough decision for Nico Harrison. Mavericks fans have fallen in love with both Prosper and Hardy at various points in their career, and quietly, Hardy is the second-longest tenured Maverick on the roster behind only Dwight Powell.

The Mavericks don't have much guard depth on the roster to begin with, and even though Hardy hasn't taken the leap that fans may have expected, his shooting can be valuable for Dallas moving forward. He is much better as an off-ball guard than a primary initiator, as his shooting off the catch can be deadly, and with the Mavs' determination to trot out two-big lineups, they are going to need shooting.

Also, if Russell or Exum were to get injured at some point before Kyrie Irving returns, they would need a guard to step up, and that could end up being Hardy. While Ryan Nembhard was outstanding in Summer League, it remains unknown how he'll look next to his NBA peers, and Jason Kidd could elect to roll with Hardy before throwing Nembhard into the fire as a rookie. Hardy has four years of experience under his belt, and he has shown an abiliy to rise to the occasion when one of his teammates is out with an injury in the past.

With Prosper, he has also not taken as much of a leap as fans initially expected when Dallas drafted him in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he could be a hidden gem who just needs to be in the right situation to succeed. His hustle, energy, and heart are unmatched, and he is a clear fit into the culture that Harrison is trying to build.

Mavericks fans will find out who Dallas decides to trade at some point before the regular season begins, and even though Prosper and Hardy are back-end rotation guys, it could end up being an extremely tough choice for Harrison. Both players bring different things to the game that Mavericks fans will miss, and it's never easy for fans to see a home-grown player head elsewhere.