Jason Kidd’s abnormal lineup twist ignites early Mavericks trade speculation

Heading into Friday night's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was all doom and gloom for Dallas Mavericks fans.

Kyrie Irving was an unexpected scratch from the game due to the illness that has plagued the team ever since the end of November, and they were also without Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, and Naji Marshall due to various injuries and a suspension (for Marshall), and they had to battle the No. 1 team in the league despite all of this.

Dallas ended up losing to Cleveland 134-122 in a game that wasn't close for most of it, but this duel with the Cavs did come with a silver lining when it comes to what the Mavs can do at the trade deadline.

Williams' rise makes Hardy's future with Mavericks more uncertain

While the Mavs' trade rumors have been relatively thin this season outside of the rumors that they are looking to move Maxi Kleber while trying to acquire frontcourt depth and or a defensive stopper, there could be another trade that is on the brink of happening with the emergence of Brandon Williams.

Against the Cavs, Williams finished with 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists while shooting 4-9 from the field and 2-4 from downtown, and him becoming a reliable rotation piece recently could make Jaden Hardy more expendable.

Hardy ended up having a good game against the Cavaliers as he finished with 17 points and three assists while shooting 6-11 from the field and 2-4 from downtown while making a flurry of plays in the fourth quarter, but his future is beginning to look in question considering his role recently combined with the fact that Dante Exum should be making a comeback from his wrist injury relatively soon.

Hardy's role and performances have fluctuated this season, and he is quietly becoming someone who Dallas could move over the next month or so to help salary work in a deal. He was quietly outplayed by Williams on Friday night until Hardy's stellar fourth quarter, and although Williams' sample size is extremely small right now, he is showcasing the skills needed to be a reliable guard in the rotation who can play in emergency situations when they are plagued with injuries.

Williams' passing, craftiness around the rim, and 3-point shooting were evident in the game against the Cavs, and Jason Kidd seems to think highly of him considering that he checked into the game on Friday night before Hardy and Jazian Gortman. Williams being the second Maverick off the bench only behind Daniel Gafford was a major shock to fans, and this could be a sign that Kidd is looking to work him into the rotation moving forward.

After the game, Kidd complimented Williams' ability to "fill in the hole" left by Dallas having Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Naji Marshall out of the lineup, saying that he brought a "spark" off the bench, also thinking highly of his minutes ever since Dallas' game against the Sacramento Kings last week.

Conversely, Kidd was a bit more neutral when asked about Hardy's game, he said that he was "better tonight" compared to his previous games against the Kings and Houston Rockets.

"Hopefully he's gonna get some of that rust off," Kidd said. "He's been out for awhile, but I thought he was good tonight."

Hardy missed some time in December with an ankle injury, and the end of his game against the Cavs was a good step in the right direction. His finishing, especially in traffic, continues to be a concern, but he was able to string some solid minutes together at the end of the game and helped lead Dallas' comeback.

It remains unknown if Dallas will look to trade Hardy or not at the trade deadline, but he is definitely a player that could intrigue a team they are making a deal with as a sweetener. The Mavs signed Hardy to a three-year, $18 million extension before the season started, and while he hasn't materialized into being the high-volume scorer that Mavs fans hoped for after watching his rookie year, he still is someone who could become a consistent rotation piece if he can consistently put together solid performances and be a positive in his minutes.

It'll be worth watching Williams' minutes on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies to see what Kidd truly thinks of him, and we could see the Mavericks make a move sooner rather than later if they continue to drop games.