Why Jaden Hardy needs to be the Dallas Mavericks 6th man of the present and future

Dallas Mavericks have a different feel when Jaden Hardy is on the floor

Hardy brings a ton of energy to the court. The Mavs just look and feel a bit different when he is on the floor. Fans know Luka Doncic loves to slow things down and attack in the half-court. Kyrie Irving has increased the tempo and got the team out in transition more, but they are still not playing fast. Hardy will just take the ball and go.

The 20-year-old rookie can beat his man off the dribble too, and he is never afraid to attack. Hardy’s shot selection can be questionable, but that is why he fits best as a sixth man. Think of him as Jordan Clarkson or Lou Williams. Hardy comes in off the bench and just gets buckets.

In that role, the change of pace and tempo is a plus for the Mavericks. Hardy will likely always share the floor with either Luka or Kyrie, so Dallas has an outlet if the 20-year-old is struggling. It has been a hot stretch over the last ten games. Hardy won't always shoot 50 percent from 3-point range, but he can make a massive impact without it.

Yes, Jaden Hardy will make mistakes. Even next season, he is going to take bad shots and have wild turnovers, but the 20-year-old needs to learn to play through those if he is going to reach his ceiling. No time like the present for that.