5 Mavericks Leaving Dallas in the New Year

5. Jaden Hardy

Speaking of players who've been afforded an opportunity to impress but haven't, young guard Jaden Hardy doesn't seem destined to wear a Mavericks uniform for much longer.

Dallas invested legit draft capital in him by using the 2022 No. 37 pick on the G League product. There was a lot to like about the slasher, who was able to get the rim with ease against developmental talent and flashed serious athleticism.

Unfortunately, that simply hasn't translated much to the pros. He's struggled to crack Kidd's rotation, seeing just 14.8 MPG as a rookie and falling to 13.9 MPG in 2023-24. Disappointing efficiency from the field (35.8%) and free throw line (66.7%) this season has caused his PPG to drop to just 6.8 as well, hurting his value as a scoring-minded player.

At 21 years old, it's no surprise Hardy is still trying to find his role as a pro. But Dallas doesn't exactly have the time to waste on his development with contending being the top priority.

Hardy's 2024-25 salary isn't fully guaranteed, which gives the Mavs an easy out to pursue more impactful veterans who can help fill out their guard depth next season.

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