Mavs Rookie Jaden Hardy Stars in Important Training Camp Scrimmage
The Dallas Mavericks held a competitive, full-speed scrimmage on Wednesday behind closed doors before they decided which players would be cut from the training camp roster. Ultimately, Dallas ended up cutting Marcus Bingham Jr., Mouhamadou Gueye, Tyler Hall and D.J. Stewart Jr. by mid-afternoon.
When asked who the star of the scrimmage was, coach Jason Kidd gave that honor to rookie guard Jaden Hardy, who has had a terrific camp after a bumpy Las Vegas Summer League experience a few months ago.
“I thought the energy and effort (was) good," said Kidd of the scrimmage. "Some late-game stuff. We played three full quarters and everybody did a good job ... Defense is always first that we talk about, and last. We have guys who can score, but being able to have everybody on the same page defensively is what we’re working at. And I think the guys are getting it done.”
Many though it would take a while for Hardy to make an impact on the Mavs, but with the way everyone within the Mavs' organization has been talking about him since training camp began, he might be ready to contribute in a consistent bench role from day one. Not only is Hardy a naturally gifted scorer, but he's worked making the right reads as well even when he's not the one doing the scoring.
“Once I get locked into a zone like that it’s hard to get me out of it," said Hardy after his Mavs preseason debut where he led the team with 21 points on 50 percent shooting. "I’m just thinking that I’ve got it going, so I’m just thinking about making the right play. I’m just trying to make the right play, make the right read.”
Given how Hardy struggled with his efficiency in Summer League, some might wonder how he's appeared to take such a big leap in a small amount of time. First of all, the Mavs already thought very highly of Hardy, as they had him as the No. 19 player on their draft board despite him falling to pick No. 37 in the second round. Secondly, and more importantly, the 20 year old is digging in and putting in the work necessary to get better.
“It shows the work that (Hardy has) put in since summer league. He spends a lot of time in the gym,” said Kidd. “He’s coming back at night, he’s working — not just on the floor — but watching video. He wants to be good, he wants to play, he wants to participate, and again you can see that in tonight’s game.”
"Hardy Hype" is at an all-time high as the 2022-23 season nears, and we can't wait to see if he's capable of living up to it. If he can, the Mavs won't just be a good playoff team. They'll be championship contenders even without Jalen Brunson.
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