Mavericks face Jaden Hardy decision (and the only answer is an unpopular one)

The Dallas Mavericks have their sights set on a championship after falling just short last season. Luka Doncic is entering his prime, and the franchise added Klay Thompson this offseason. Dallas has the talent with a strong mix of veterans and emerging young talents like Dereck Lively II.

Keeping a contending roster together is more difficult under the latest CBA. Teams get expensive and the franchise faces severe roster building restrictions if they try to pay everyone. Kyrie Irving likely begins a new contract in the 2025-26 season with Luka Doncic starting a fresh max the following year. The Mavs have to save somewhere to avoid the second tax apron.

Jaden Hardy is entering the final year of his rookie contract and becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025. The 22-year-old has shown flashes and will likely be searching for a raise. Nico Harrison and the front office must make a difficult decision, and the answer is likely unpopular.

Mavericks must trade Jaden Hardy before paying him in free agency

Hardy has struggled to find minutes as a score-first guard who needs the ball in his hands. Dallas has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading their charge. If both play 35-plus minutes per game and are staggered, it forces Hardy to play off one of the Mavs stars and likely caps his minutes at 15 per game.

Dallas signed Spencer Dinwiddie to fill that bucket-getting role off the bench, which pushes Hardy further down the rotation. Head coach Jason Kidd has plenty of options, and the Mavericks want to win. Expect the Hall of Famer to lean on his veterans and find ways to maximize their on-court product.

Hardy’s defense is problematic, and Dallas knows it needs a strong defense to win. Coach Kidd has to play the matchups, which gives stout defenders like Dante Exum and Quentin Grimes minutes over Hardy. Luka and Kyrie provide plenty of scoring and offensive punch. The Mavs need a defensive stopper next to them to maximize their odds of winning.

Jaden Hardy has proven to be a plus-shooter capable of getting a bucket. Do the Mavericks want to pay to keep him in a 15-minute per-game role that likely vanishes in the postseason? It is probably not the wisest use of their limited assets. Dallas needs to focus on building their core around number 77, and Hardy is a problematic fit whenever Doncic is on the floor.

The 22-year-old will get a raise next summer, and the Mavs should explore his trade market now. Finding a deal is problematic as Dallas is just $493,056 under the first tax apron where they are hard capped. Hardy’s $2.0 million salary won’t be easy to match, but finding which teams have interest could set up a trade down the line that helps the Mavericks improve their roster.

The Dallas Mavericks should look to trade Jaden Hardy before the deadline to maximize his value. The 22-year-old hopes to break out and secure a larger payday, but it won’t be easy in limited minutes. It is time for Dallas to move on and find a better fit for their roster.