JULY 7: The Mavericks have officially signed Hardy, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
JULY 5: The Mavericks are signing second-round pick Jaden Hardy to a three-year contract, league sources tell longtime reporter Marc Stein (Twitter links).
As Stein explains, the Mavs had hoped to sign Hardy to a four-year deal, but because they project to be a taxpaying team next season, they will be limited to three years instead of four. According to Stein, Dallas is using slightly more than $1MM of its taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Hardy, the portion the team withheld in its deal with veteran JaVale McGee.
Hardy, who turns 20 today, was the 37th overall pick of the June 23 draft. The Mavericks traded their 2024 and 2028 second-rounders to move into the draft and acquire Hardy, whom the Mavs reportedly had 19th on their board, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
A five-star recruit exiting high school and at one point a projected top-five pick, Hardy spent last season with the G League Ignite, posting solid averages of 17.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 3.2 APG in 12 games (32.2 MPG). However, his offensive efficiency (3.5 turnovers per game and .351/.269/.882 shooting splits) and lackluster defense caused his draft stock to slide, as he was rated as a late first-rounder by ESPN before being selected 37th overall.
Once the signings of Hardy, McGee and Theo Pinson become official, the Mavs will have 14 of their 15 standard roster spots filled.
Now if they can just sign Laurel !!
Hardy was a top HS senior coming out. Mavs could have lucked out here. He gets his act right.
link to maxpreps.com
The 6-foot-4 guard is the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2021 according to 247Sports. Hardy will be following in the footsteps of Class of 2020 prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Isaiah Todd among others in selecting the G League path over the traditional collegiate route.
Grown man body. He will be better than his draft position. Good pick.
0f course, no matter who they woulda moved into the 2nd round and picked… THAT’s who they would have had rated 19th overall…. ;)