10 Reasons the Dallas Mavericks will be back in NBA Finals next year

6. Dallas has two secret weapons to unleash on the league next season

With the Dallas Mavericks' roster being so loaded this season, two young role players didn't get to see as much run as fans may have hoped. Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper both have all the potential in the world to turn into elite role players, and Hardy showed flashes of that during the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Hardy was a huge X-factor for the Mavs in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves as he averaged 7.4 points per game while shooting 60 percent from downtown, but his dominance didn't continue into the NBA Finals.

Hardy was pretty much removed from the rotation after Game 1, despite having a great game, and he could have a much bigger role next season depending on what the Mavs decide to do with Tim Hardaway Jr. If Dallas trades Hardaway Jr., Hardy could step into that role seamlessly.

Prosper, on the other hand, wasn't as ready for the NBA as people may have initially thought, but his development in the G League shows how effective he can be for the Mavs in the future. Prosper developed into a 40 percent 3-point shooter and he has all of the intangibles to be an elite 3-and-D wing.

You can never have too many 3-and-D wings in the NBA, and he is poised to have a breakout sophomore season if he continues to work as hard as he did during his rookie season. He is the perfect fit in Dallas, and his energy off the bench could be massive for the Mavs next season as they try to return to the NBA Finals.