Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft grades: 2 trades and select Jaden Hardy

The Dallas Mavericks were not expected to be players in the 2022 NBA Draft. They traded their second-round pick to Washington at the deadline in the Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans swap. The Stepien Rule prevented the Mavs from trading their first round, but they did it anyway.

Dallas agreed to send the 26th overall pick and four players that were outside their playoff rotation to Houston to acquire Christian Wood. The Mavericks desperately needed an upgrade at the five, and the ability to create some roster space made the move too good to pass up.

The trade could not be finalized until after the NBA Draft, so Dallas technically made the selection at 26th overall. Houston expanded the trade by trading back to the 29th pick on draft night, and the Mavericks traded into the second round to make a selection. In a night full of surprises, how did Dallas fare?

Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft grades: 2 trades and select Jaden Hardy

The Christian Wood trade was part of the draft because the Mavericks had to make the selection. Dallas also sent two future second-round picks to Sacramento to acquire the 37th overall pick. Fans know general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison is not afraid to make moves that he believes will improve the roster, and he did just that during the draft.

Here is a closer look at what the Dallas Mavericks did in the 2022 NBA Draft plus a grade for each move and their night overall.

Dallas Mavericks make 3-team trade to acquire Christian Wood

Dwight Powell started all 18 postseason games at center for the Mavs in their run to the Western Conference Finals, but he averaged just 13.8 minutes per game. Dallas had success going small with Maxi Kleber spacing the floor at the five, but foul trouble and injury risk prevented head coach Jason Kidd from going all-in and playing him 35-plus minutes every game.

The Mavericks needed another center that could play significant minutes in the postseason, so they took a swing on Christian Wood. Fans can see the particulars of this deal below.

The Rockets moved back from the 26th overall pick to 29 and picked up two additional second-round draft choices.

Houston was motivated to move Wood because they selected Jabari Smith Jr. with the third pick in the 2022 draft and Alperen Sengun, a 2021 first-round pick, needed more playing time. The rebuilding Rockets moved on from the 26-year-old to open up significant minutes for their young talent.

Nothing changed for the Mavericks on draft night in this deal, and Nico Harrison knocked this one out of the park.

Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft grade for Christian Wood trade: A-minus

The Mavs acquired a skill offensive center capable of spacing the floor while scoring 17-plus per game and opened up three roster spots for a late first-round pick in a brilliant move by the front office. Dallas has a new starter in the middle and room to make additional upgrades this summer.

Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks front office pulled off another excellent trade that earns them an A-minus grade.

Dallas Mavericks trade 2 future picks to get 37th overall selection in 2020 NBA Draft

The Mavs were rumored to be searching for a pick in the 30s leading up to draft night. GM Nico Harrison and the front office did their due diligence on the entire draft, even though they did not have a selection. Dallas was waiting to see who dropped before deciding to make a deal.

The Mavericks sent their 2024 and 2028 second-round picks to the Sacramento Kings on draft night to acquire the 37th overall pick.

Dallas was just in the conference finals and had the 54th pick in the second round. Luka Doncic will be 25 years old in 2024, and the Mavericks should only be closer to title contention. Trading two what should be late second-round picks to acquire the 37th overall pick seemed like a no-brainer.

Dallas Mavericks 2020 NBA Draft trade grade for acquiring 37th pick: A

This would have been an A-plus if the Kings did not extract the 2028 second-rounder from the Mavericks. Projecting the NBA six months into the future can be difficult, so who knows what the Mavs roster will look like in six years. Sacramento is hoping Dallas heads into a rebuild and that pick is near the top of the second round.

If the Mavericks remain in title contention, Dallas traded two future picks in the 50s for the 37th overall selection right now. Another wise move by Harrison that earns the Mavs an A grade.

Dallas Mavericks select Jaden Hardy with 37th overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft

The NBA invited 24 prospects to the green room, who were all expected to be first-round selections. Jaden Hardy was the final player left when the Kings went on the clock at 37th overall. Dallas worked out a deal and cleared the green room by selecting the 6’4 guard.

Over his 26 games with the G League Ignite, Hardy averaged 19.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. That combines his play from the G League Showcase and the G League Ignite tour. Hardy shot under 40 percent from the field and committed 3.4 turnovers per game, but the 19-year-old’s ball-handling and shot-making abilities were on full display.

The 6’4 guard is a scorer that needs to improve his defense, efficiency, and playmaking chop. Hardy was a projected lottery pick going into the season, and his fall into the second round was shocking on Thursday night.

Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft grade for selecting Jaden Hardy: A

Hardy was the best player left on the board, and the Mavericks swooped in to secure his rights. The 19-year-old profiles best as a sixth man, but he has the talent to be a 15-plus point per game scorer.

Hardy will not be ready for significant NBA minutes next season. The 6’4 guard will be the star of the Dallas Mavericks summer league squad in Las Vegas before playing most of his minutes in Frisco with the Texas Legends next season. Still, getting a talented prospect with upside at 37th overall makes this another A grade for the Mavs.

Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft overall grade

It was a busy night for the Mavs that stretch into the wee hours of the morning as they tried to round up undrafted talent for their Las Vegas Summer League squad. They made two trades that improved their roster and selected a talented teenager that was projected to be a first-round pick at 37th overall.

Overall, it was another impressive night from Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks. They have not taken the massive swing yet, but Dallas keeps making moves to improve their roster and the talent around superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavs needed a center, so Harrison found a skilled offensive big man that should open up the lane for Doncic to attack.

Dallas also added a talented 6’4 guard that can handle the ball. They traded for Spencer Dinwiddie at the deadline because they were light on ball handling. Now, head coach Jason Kidd has a teenage scoring guard to develop into a key rotation piece over the next three years.

Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Draft overall grade: A

Any contending team should look to leave the draft with their roster a little bit better than when they started. The Mavericks got a starting center, a talented prospect in the second round, and cleared three roster spots to make further upgrades. Consider that a victory and Dallas earned an A grade for their draft.

Free agency begins on June 30, and fans should expect more fireworks. Jalen Brunson’s free agency is front and center, so stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest.