Mavericks to sign second-round pick Jaden Hardy to three-year deal

As Stein explains, the Mavericks 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 $1M 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 draft. The Mavericks traded their 2024 and 2028 second-rounders to move into the draft and acquire Hardy, whom the Mavericks reportedly had 19th on their board, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

A five-star recruit exiting high school and was once a projected top-five pick, Hardy spent last season with 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 Mavericks will have 14 of their 15 standard roster spots filled.