3 takeaways from Jaden Hardy’s summer league debut with Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks traded out of the 2022 NBA Draft to acquiring Christian Wood. They sent their second-round pick to Washington with Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans at the deadline. Dallas had no picks, but went they saw Jaden Hardy slip into the second round, they pounced.

The Mavericks sent two future second-round picks to the Sacramento Kings to acquire the 37th overall selection and grabbed Hardy. The 6’4 guard was ESPN’s number two player coming out of high school behind only Chet Holmgren, but he struggled in his lone season with the G League Ignite and that plummeted his draft stock.

Jaden Hardy played his first game in a Mavericks uniform on July 8 as the team opened their Las Vegas Summer League slate against the Chicago Bulls. It was an impressive performance from the rookie, but the Mavs fell 100-99 in overtime. What can supporters take away from Hardy’s first game?

3 takeaways from Jaden Hardy’s first summer league game with Dallas Mavericks

Hardy finished with 28 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 33 minutes of action against the Bulls. He got off to a slow start before showing off his impressive skill set. The 20-year-old went nine of 19 from the field, got to the line 11 times, and had six turnovers.

Numbers never tell the entire story in summer league. The games often lack ball movement and spacing, so things can get wild. Still, Jaden Hardy showcased the skills that made him a top prospect. Here is a look at three things Dallas Mavericks fans can take away from his 28-point performance to open the Las Vegas Summer League.