Jason Kidd reveals Mavericks’ secret weapons he can unleash any time

With only one game remaining in the regular season, the Mavericks are locked into their first-round matchup against the LA Clippers, as it will be the third showdown in the first round between these two teams in the last five years. Dallas’ road toward the fifth seed and 50-win mark has not been an easy one, as it took Dallas till the trade deadline to get the necessary defensive pieces that a team needs if they want to contend.

That being said, this Mavericks team is clicking on all cylinders with their newfound defensive identity heading into the playoffs, and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are playing some of the best and most consistent basketball of their careers recently to top it off.

Given how excellent Irving and Doncic have been all year, both of Dallas’ stars sat out of the Mavericks Friday night contest against the Detroit Pistons to get some rest ahead of the playoffs, as the Mavericks would like to make it out of this final two-game stretch with no injuries as well as some encouraging play from some of their younger players.

Jason Kidd reveals plans for Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Even though the Mavericks lost by 18 points to the Pistons last night, they were able to accomplish both of those two feats. 21-year-old guard Jaden Hardy led Dallas’ point-of-attack against Detroit, as Hardy finished with a season-high 25 points on a solid 9-19 shooting from the field.

Mavericks rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper also joined the parade last night, as he showcased his improved offensive game and defensive versatility en route to 16 points, six rebounds, two steals, and one block against Detroit last night.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd seemed very happy with the performance of both of Dallas’ budding young role players in his postgame media availability, as Kidd spoke of his intriguing plans for Prosper and Hardy after last night’s game.

"It's very exciting. It's very promising when you talk about Hardy and O-Max. ... As we move forward with contracts and trades, you have two young guys that can fill spots if others are gone or hurt. "

- Jason Kidd

This statement from Kidd shows the amount of trust that he has in Prosper and Hardy, as it seems like he wouldn’t be opposed to using them going forward in the playoffs if someone gets hurt or if Dallas ends up having to shake some things in their rotation at some point this postseason.

Prosper and Hardy have both shown how immense their potential is, so it’s great to see that Kidd recognizes this even if it’s a long shot that either of them have a significant role in the playoffs for the Mavericks this season. Going forward it will be interesting to monitor if one of Hardy or Prosper ends up playing this postseason as well as how their development will carry into NBA Summer League (if they both play).

Kidd said that Prosper will be fighting for minutes next season, and it'll be interesting to continue to watch his development. Both players have the potential to be elite for Dallas in the future, and their time will come.

Hardy and Prosper will have a chance to showcase their talents on a grand scale once more as the Mavericks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in their regular season finale on Sunday. For more on the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the NBA Playoffs, stay tuned as we’ll have you covered.