Jason Kidd reveals saving grace Mavericks youngster needs to avoid trade trap

With Dante Exum now expected to miss time for the Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd may be forced to lean on Jaden Hardy to step up early on into the 2025-26 season, and he clearly revealed what he needs to see from Hardy to take the next step in his development before Dallas took on the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center.

Kidd doesn't just want Hardy to be a scorer despite his obvious strength in that area, which he has showcased time and time again. He wants him to be more multi-faceted rather than a score-first guard, and the Mavs seem to believe that he can do that.

"Growth has to be able to not just score the ball," Kidd said when asked about Hardy during Saturday's pregame media availability. "We know he can do that, can he make plays for others, can he get us set in the offense. Being able to compete on the defensive end. And he's going to get a great opportunity here in the preseason to show that he has grown. We believe that he's grown. Again, we know that he can score the ball, but can he make plays for others."

Jaden Hardy can no longer be a one-trick pony

Kidd continued to talk about the importance of making the extra pass to simplify the game for everyone else, and this is going to be a key component for Hardy as he enters his fourth season in the NBA. Dallas signed Hardy to a three-year contract extension last offseason, and this season could be his final chance to prove that he deserves to be a long-term piece with the Mavericks rather than being a trade pawn.

Hardy wowed Mavericks fans during his rookie year in the 2022-23 season with his electric 3-point shooting and scoring off the bounce, especially at the end of the year, but he has failed to make major strides since then. His numbers from last season are nearly identical to those of his rookie year, and his performance this season could determine if he becomes trade bait or remains in Dallas and becomes a piece of their young core alongside players like Cooper Flagg, Dereck Lively II, and Max Christie.

The Mavericks are going to need him to step up in Exum and Kyrie Irving's absence, and just like Kidd said, his ability to be more multi-dimensional will be key.

Hardy has shown flashes that he can be a solid secondary playmaker and passer, as he is a decent lob thrower and has shown the ability to be more of a connector when needed rather than a black hole on offense, but Kidd is going to need to see this from him consistently if he wants to gain his trust.

Kidd has been wary of leaning on Hardy, as his role and minutes have been quite sporadic over his first three seasons in the NBA, and him showing real, linear growth as a playmaker would work wonders for him.

On top of his playmaking and passing, Kidd also noted that he wants Hardy to be more of a competitor on the defensive end. Hardy has the tools to be a good defender, as he is 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and has decent athleticism, but he has to become more alert off the ball and better at keeping his man in front of him.

Dallas has a great back line to help him when he gets blown by, but he can't consistently allow these types of advantages.

If Hardy can grow in all of these areas and show off his offseason work to the Mavericks coaching staff, he could finally seem like a staple of the Mavericks' future. But if not, he could find himself being shipped elsewhere before the February 6 trade deadline rolls around.

Hardy was in some whispers of getting moved or waived this summer when Dallas was trying to create a roster spot for Exum, and his play during the beginning of the season could determine if these talks disappear or intensify.