3 reasons why Jaden Hardy will be the Dallas Mavericks' third star

The Dallas Mavericks have tried to have three stars on their team for decades. The closest they have come in the 21st century is the 2011 championship team, which surrounded Dirk Nowitzki with Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Caron Butler, and Tyson Chandler.

However, Kidd and Marion (while still very good and extremely vital to winning the title) were past their NBA primes. Butler had a season-ending injury 29 games into the season. Chandler was more of an elite role-playing big man, and Terry was never quite considered a star (although he was arguably the second most valuable player during that run).

3 reasons why Jaden Hardy will be the Dallas Mavericks' third star

In the Luka Doncic era, the Mavs front office has been trying desperately to surround Luka with talent. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, but injuries seemed to hinder any chance at building chemistry. Jalen Brunson became a star during their Western Conference Finals run in 2022 but left that offseason.

Dallas completed a blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving at last season's trade deadline, but fans and commentators have been waiting for the Mavericks to find that third piece to form the three-headed monster that so many teams are after. The Mavs made a move for Grant Williams earlier this summer, but they still need a player with star potential.

Enter Jaden Hardy.

No, he isn't the star big man that many people are clamoring for the Mavs to acquire. In fact, he's a 6'4'' guard who plays a position already occupied by two superstars (Doncic and Irving). However, during his rookie season, he showed he could potentially provide that third-scoring punch that Dallas has been lacking.