Jaden Hardy Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Notes: Grimes, Hardy, Kleber, G League

October 27th, 2024 at 6:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks made Quentin Grimes a three-year offer prior to last Monday’s deadline for rookie scale extensions, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link), but the fourth-year wing opted to pass on it in the hopes that he can boost his stock this season by playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for the defending Western Conference champions.

According to Stein, Dallas’ extension offer to Grimes was believed to be in the same range as the deal Naji Marshall signed as a free agent in July, which was worth $27MM over three years. Rather than locking in that deal, the 24-year-old will take his chances in restricted free agency next summer.

Grimes, who had a disappointing injury-plagued season in New York and Detroit in 2023/24, hasn’t gotten off to a fast start as a Maverick this fall. Through his first two games, he has scored just two points on 1-of-6 shooting and grabbed a pair of rebounds in nearly 21 total minutes of action.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Although Jaden Hardy would have remained eligible to sign a veteran contract extension with the Mavericks anytime up until June 30, 2025, Stein hears that the team “pushed for a resolution” before the season began. Hardy’s new three-year, $18MM deal, which begins in 2025/26, will give the front office a more complete picture of its cap situation going forward as it considers possible moves during the season and leading up to next year’s draft.
Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber sustained a right hamstring injury during the team’s loss to Phoenix on Saturday and is being listed as questionable for Monday’s contest against Utah, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link). If Kleber has to miss any time, it could open up more opportunities at the four for Marshall, with non-rotation big man Dwight Powell a candidate to move up the depth chart.
The Texas Legends – Dallas’ G League affiliate – have announced their training camp roster, per Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban (Twitter link). Jamarion Sharp and Emanuel Miller are among the Legends players who were in NBA camp with the Mavs this fall.

Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Doncic, Gafford, Lively, Hardy

October 25th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The uniform was different, but otherwise Klay Thompson delivered a familiar performance Thursday night. Playing his first game for the Mavericks, Thompson hit six three-pointers and scored 22 points in 26 minutes in a win over San Antonio. In addition to providing the defending Western Conference champs with another outside shooting threat, Thompson showed he can still impact the game in other ways, collecting seven rebounds and three steals, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“Great debut,” he said. “It’s only one game in October, but it feels good just to get that first one out of the way. … Just a ton of excitement, really just an awesome feeling. And you only get the first time of something so often.”

Last night marked the first time Thompson has played alongside Luka Doncic, who missed the entire preseason due to a left calf contusion. They seemed to have instant chemistry, as four of Thompson’s threes came directly off Doncic passes.

“What an incredible talent,” Thompson said. “I mean, it doesn’t make any sense because what we’re taught growing up as far as being the best basketball player is you got to jump the highest, you got to run the fastest, but somehow Luka defies that. He plays at his own speed and manipulates the game as good as I’ve ever seen anyone do it. And it’s great to be a recipient of that and get great looks.”

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Even though he finished with finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Doncic felt the effects of sitting out the preseason, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. He shot just 8-of-21 on the night and felt like he played “terrible” despite nearly posting a triple-double. “I was telling someone that I was rusty the whole first half,” Doncic said. “The third quarter, it kind of opened up. The legs were back. It felt great just to be out there playing basketball.”
Head coach Jason Kidd wouldn’t reveal his starting center in his pregame meeting with reporters, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required), but he chose to go with Daniel Gafford and use Dereck Lively II off the bench. Both were productive, as Gafford had nine points, six rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes, while Lively put up 15 points, 10 rebounds and tied his career high with six assists in 27 minutes. “It’s an opportunity to start Gaff here, and we’ll look somewhere down the road to start D Live,” Kidd said. “But what I love about D Live coming off the bench is his energy, and that’s something that’s contagious. When you look at a team, there are going to be nights when we might be low energy, but D Live, as we’ve talked throughout preseason, we plug into him, and guys, you know, recharge or feed off that energy. He has a big responsibility with that second group.”
With a new three-year, $18MM extension in hand, Jaden Hardy appears to be an important part of the Mavericks’ second unit, Afseth adds. Kidd said Hardy has improved his play-making skills to complement his outside shooting as he begins his third NBA season.

Mavs’ Jaden Hardy Discusses Extension, Goals For Season

October 24th, 2024 at 7:51pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Former second-round pick Jaden Hardy signed a three-year, $18MM extension with the Mavericks earlier this week. Hardy, who is making just over $2MM this season, will earn a flat $6MM salary in each year of the extension, which kicks in during the 2025/26 season, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. As previously reported, the third year (2027/28) is a team option.

Hardy has made promising strides in Dallas over his first two seasons, averaging 7.9 points per game and making 37.9% of his three-pointers in 121 appearances since being the No. 37 overall pick. He appeared in 19 games during Dallas’s Finals run last season and led the Mavericks in scoring in the preseason with 15.0 PPG.

Fresh off his extension, he expressed gratitude to get the chance to stay with the team that offered him the runway to be a successful NBA player, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal writes.

“I’m super grateful for it to be in this position, to get to my second contract. Not a lot of players are able to do that,” Hardy said. “But I’m still not going to let this contract define me. I’ll keep working, I’m coming for more, and just staying humble.”

After securing a long-term deal, Hardy told Afseth he has a new goal in mind for this coming season.

“Really, this is where I want to be, ultimately. I can play my game and go out there freely,” Hardy said. “My main focus is winning the championship this year. But also, my goal is to win Sixth Man (of the Year).”

There are a few more interesting comments from Hardy and head coach Jason Kidd regarding the coming season.

Kidd on Hardy being extended:

“Yeah, well deserved. Just shows another case of patience. You look at the work he’s put in, and it’s well deserved for everybody around him.”

Kidd on what Hardy’s role will look like this coming season:

“Yeah, I think we’ll see how that goes with the different combinations that we’ll look at here early on. He’ll have an opportunity to play with [Kyrie Irving].”

Hardy on his communication with the coaching staff, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News:

“I’ve talked to Jason, asked him what it is that he wants to see from me. He just tells me that what I’ve been doing, to keep doing it. His big thing is for me to keep working and stay hungry.”

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Hardy Signs Three-Year Extension With Mavs; No Extension For Grimes

October 22nd, 2024 at 6:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OCTOBER 22: Hardy has officially signed his extension, according to Mavs PR (Twitter link).

OCTOBER 21: Third-year guard Jaden Hardy has agreed to a three-year, $18MM extension with the Mavericks, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The final year of Hardy’s extension will include a team option, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets.

Hardy was a second-round pick in 2022 and the contract he’s signing is considered a veteran extension rather than a rookie scale extension.

He was eligible to sign at any point this season, unlike some other veterans who faced a Monday deadline. However, Hardy and the team chose to get the deal done sooner rather than later.

In related news, the Mavericks won’t be signing Quentin Grimes to a rookie scale extension, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets. Grimes will be headed to restricted free agency next summer.

Hardy has proved to be a valuable rotation player in his two NBA seasons. He saw action in 73 regular season games last season, including seven starts, averaging 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13.5 minutes per contest. He’s established himself as a reliable three-point threat in his two seasons in Dallas (37.9%).

The 6’4” Hardy also played regularly in the postseason, albeit in limited minutes. He averaged 4.2 PPG in 6.8 MPG. He could have an opportunity for more minutes early in the 2024/25 season with Dante Exum sidelined due to wrist surgery.

Low-cost rotation players are extremely valuable to contenders with max contract players on their ledger, so Hardy’s willingness to sign for an average of $6MM per season was naturally an incentive for the Western Conference champions.

The Grimes news comes somewhat as a surprise, considering he was reportedly negotiating a three-year extension with Dallas. According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), despite some initial optimism, the two sides were unable to bridge a gap in their discussions during the final days leading up to Monday’s deadline.

Grimes, a late first-rounder in 2021, spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Knicks, then was dealt to the Pistons at the February trade deadline. Detroit included Grimes in the offseason Tim Hardaway Jr. deal.

Texas Notes: Thompson, Hardy, Collins, Johnson

October 13th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson bristled as the notion that he can’t guard at a high level anymore and is eager to prove skeptics wrong, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“I still want to get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson said. “I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong, that I can still guard the elite players in this league.”

The fact that he has joined a Mavericks team with two stars in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic adds to that motivation.

“That’s a big reason why I came here, those two guys,” Thompson said. “(I have) big dreams and aspirations with this team. They were so close last year (reaching the NBA Finals) and I really feel we have everything we need.”

We have more on the Texas teams:

Reserve guard Jaden Hardy is intent on establishing himself as a rugged defender, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Right now, I’m focused on defending the three better, picking up full court, and challenging guys while they bring the ball up,” he said. “I’m also working on being in the right spots on defense, communicating, and bringing energy.” Hardy will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Spurs big man Zach Collins made his preseason debut on Saturday after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He contributed 11 points in a win over Utah. “Considering (the layoff), I thought he looked really good,” coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “He boarded. He banged with people. He wasn’t afraid of the shoulder or anything like that.”
In the same preseason game, Keldon Johnson excelled as the Spurs’ sixth man, pouring in 20 points. Johnson shed 10 pounds during the offseason and believes that has made a difference in his performance level, he told McDonald. “I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. “Best I felt in a long time.”

Mavericks Notes: Gortman, Morris, C. Marshall, Backcourt

October 9th, 2024 at 8:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In the competition for the Mavericks’ open two-way roster spot, point guard Jazian Gortman may have taken the lead, writes Dallas Hoops Journal’s Grant Afseth (Substack link).

Gortman went undrafted out of the Overtime Elite in 2023. He suited up for G League affiliate squads for the Bucks and Trail Blazers last season, but has yet to appear in an NBA game. The 6’2″ pro joined the Mavericks on a training camp deal after impressing in Summer League.

The Mavericks currently have one open two-way slot on their roster. Gortman and fellow camp invitees Emanuel Miller and Jamarion Sharp are on Exhibit 10 deals that could be converted to two-way contracts prior to the start of the regular season.

There’s more out of Dallas:

According to Afseth, power forward Markieff Morris, currently on an Exhibit 9 training camp deal, is expected to earn a standard contract. Dallas’ decision to waive shooting guard A.J. Lawson, who finished last season with the team, clears the way for Morris to make the standard roster as the 15th man.
Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall intends to retire on December 31, reports Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Marshall has been in her current role since 2018. “Cynt Marshall is a force of nature,” Dallas co-owner Patrick Dumont said in a team press statement. “I like to say her superpower is bringing people together, but the truth is she has many superpowers… Cynt has always gone above and beyond in everything she has done, and her leadership of the Dallas Mavericks is no exception. She is an indelible fixture in the history of this franchise, and we are eternally grateful.”
Now that Mavericks reserve guard Dante Exum is expected to miss the next three months following a right wrist surgery, there’s an opportunity for major rotation minutes for some of Dallas deeper-bench backcourt players, writes Afseth in another piece. “With Dante sidelined, we’re looking at guys like Brandon Williams and Spencer Dinwiddie to step up and fill those minutes,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s unfortunate, but we have depth, and guys like Jaden Hardy will also have the chance to contribute more.” Afseth notes that, should Exum miss the reported three months, he’ll be sidelined for nearly half of the Mavericks’ regular season.
In case you missed it, newly-acquired young Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes, formerly of the Knicks, is looking to bring his considerable upside to bear for the reigning West champs in 2024/25.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Zion, Pelicans, Mavericks

October 8th, 2024 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

Playing on Monday for the first time since January 5, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant looked like he was rounding into top form in his 18 minutes of action vs. Dallas , contributing 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the team’s preseason opener.

However, Morant briefly exited the game and went to the locker room in the first half after turning his ankle, then appeared to have issues with the same ankle after returning before checking out of the game for good in the second half.

Speaking to reporters after the Grizzlies’ win, head coach Taylor Jenkins referred to the first half injury as a “minor tweak” and added that Morant experienced a little discomfort trying to push off the ankle in the second half, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Jenkins, Morant will be evaluated in the coming days, but his removal from the game was mostly precautionary.

For his part, Morant downplayed the issue in his own post-game media session, telling reporters that he’s “all good” and pointing out that he was able to walk fine (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).

While it doesn’t sound at this point like the minor ankle injury will affect Morant’s availability for the Grizzlies’ regular season opener in a couple weeks, it’s worth keeping a close eye on the star guard after a season in which he was limited to just nine games due to a suspension and a shoulder injury. Memphis’ ability to bounce back in 2024/25 will hinge in large part on his ability to stay on the court.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Morant and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, the top two picks in the 2019 draft, each have a pair of All-Star nods under their belts but have had stop-and-start ascents to stardom due to health issues and – in the case of the Grizzlies guard – off-court behavior, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Vardon considers what heights the two young stars could still reach and explores their potential importance to USA Basketball, which could lose a handful of longtime stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant by the next Olympics.
In a pair of stories for NOLA.com, Christian Clark highlights Williamson’s impressive preseason debut vs. Orlando on Monday and writes that the Pelicans believe they have the personnel necessary to finally reach their longtime goal of averaging 40 three-point attempts per game this season. It’s a lofty objective, given that only one team (Boston) cracked the 40-attempt threshold last season and New Orleans ranked 24th with 32.6 per game. “It’s manageable for the lineups we have out there,” reserve sharpshooter Matt Ryan said. “We are going to have so much shooting. So much guard and wing play.”
The Mavericks aren’t stressing the loss of reserve guard Dante Exum to a wrist injury, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, who notes that Spencer Dinwiddie and head coach Jason Kidd were among those to laud the backcourt depth on the roster. Dinwiddie – who called this iteration of the Mavs “the most talented team I’ve been on” – and Jaden Hardy are expected to get more opportunities with Exum out.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) and Curtis (Dallas Morning News subscriber link) each shared their takeaways from the Mavericks‘ training camp, discussing Klay Thompson‘s smooth integration, the impressive two-way versatility displayed by newcomer Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively showing the potential to take another big step forward in his second NBA season.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans Arena, Rockets, Mavs, Johnson, Paul

September 5th, 2024 at 9:41am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans’ arena, Smoothie King Center, is in need of major renovations, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Most systems and equipment have reached or exceeded their usable life, according to an assessment report from an architecture firm and consulting company. The building’s sound and public address system are among the items that need to be replaced. The report’s findings shift the spotlight onto Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Louisiana state officials to either fund a renovation of the nearly 25-year-old building or build a new arena, Clark adds.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

While some teams are holding training camp at faraway places, the Rockets are happy they’ll stay at home. They will hold training camp, beginning Oct. 1, at their new practice facility, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. In recent years, they’ve held camp in a variety of locations out of town. The $70MM basketball headquarters is about a 10-minute drive from the Rockets’ home arena, the Toyota Center.
How will Jason Kidd manage the minutes of Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford at the Mavericks’ center position? That’s one of the big questions for Dallas heading into training camp, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. The need for Jaden Hardy to have a breakout season after Josh Green was traded is another intriguing element of this year’s camp.
Keldon Johnson wore No. 3 for the Spurs the last few seasons. He’s giving up that uniform number to Chris Paul, according to ESPN. Johnson will instead take No. 0. Paul, who signed a one-year contract with San Antonio, has worn No. 3 since entering the league in 2005.

Magic Guaranteeing Caleb Houstan’s 2024/25 Salary

June 30th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are guaranteeing Caleb Houstan‘s $2.02MM salary for the 2024/25 season, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required).

Houstan’s contract included a salary guarantee deadline of June 30, meaning Orlando had to waive him on Sunday in order to avoid locking in his minimum salary. However, the decision to guarantee that money was long expected and had been accounted for in the club’s cap room projections for the summer, Beede writes.

Houston, 21, was the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 draft. He has played a modest role off Orlando’s bench in his first two NBA seasons, averaging 4.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game across 110 total regular season appearances (17 starts).

The 6’8″ forward shoots almost exclusively from beyond the arc – he attempted 193 three-pointers and just 13 two-pointers in 2023/24 – and bumped his three-point percentage to 37.3% on 3.3 attempts per game in his second NBA season.

Houstan’s contract includes a $2.19MM team option for the 2025/26 season.

Four other players besides Houstan had June 30 salary guarantee dates in their contracts, as our tracker shows. Chris Paul (Warriors) and Troy Brown (Pistons) were waived prior to the deadline, while Alex Caruso (Thunder) was assured of his full guaranteed following the trade to Oklahoma City. There has been no specific reporting on Jaden Hardy‘s guarantee, but it’s safe to assume the Mavericks will lock in the $2.02MM salary for the promising young guard.

[Update: Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has confirmed (via Twitter) that Hardy’s salary for 2024/25 is now guaranteed.]

Mavericks Notes: Irving, Lively, Jones, Rotation

June 16th, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics were hoping Kyrie Irving would lead them to a championship when they traded for him nearly seven years ago. Instead, he went through a tumultuous journey in Boston and Brooklyn before finding happiness with a Mavericks team that’s now standing between the Celtics and an 18th banner.

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe talked to Irving about all that went wrong during his time in Boston, which eventually led to a bitter breakup with the city. Washburn notes that Irving tended to be a loner when he played for the Celtics, but he has become more likable and more approachable since then.

“Being under the microscope in this business is a lot different for me now than probably four years ago, five years ago, because I’m able to put the big picture of life in perspective and also the game in perspective. It comes easier,” Irving said. “Then also I think the social media, sociopathic behavior. You know, your inner voice is not clear anymore when you’re downloading other voices and other opinions. That can become hard.”

The Mavericks are somewhat of a surprise Finals team after missing the playoffs last season. After Dallas traded for Irving in February 2023, his fit with Luka Doncic initially appeared awkward, but they’ve found a way to make it work. Irving appreciates the situation he’s landed in, and he believes the Mavs can be title contenders for years to come.

“At 32 right now, I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” he said. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Dereck Lively II‘s dominance in the middle is one of the reasons the Mavericks believe they can rally from a 3-0 deficit, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Lively had seven offensive rebounds Friday night and sparked an early game-changing run with a rare three-pointer. He wound up with 11 points and 12 boards, making him the first rookie with back-to-back double-doubles in the Finals in 44 years. League sources tell Fischer that rival teams knew the Mavs were targeting Lively in last year’s draft, and they were able to work out a deal with Oklahoma City after a proposal involving Clint Capela and the Hawks fell through.
Shawn Marion, who was part of Dallas’ last title team in 2011, sees elements of his own game in Derrick Jones Jr., per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “He’s definitely a shuffle piece that you can put him in different places because he’s very athletic,” Marion said. “He’s mobile. And he’s tall. So he’s got the length. He’s a versatile defender.”
Head coach Jason Kidd made rotation changes that might help the Mavericks sustain the momentum from their Game 4 win, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Minutes have increased for Lively, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber while decreasing for Jaden Hardy and Tim Hardaway Jr.