Mavericks player who will shock NBA with breakout 2024-25 season

At only 22 years old, Jaden Hardy has displayed impressive scoring prowess when given opportunities at the NBA level. Opportunities is the important word here. If given enough minutes, Hardy will find himself in a position to make a serious impact during the 2024-25 season.

Hardy has averaged 7.9 points per game across his first two NBA seasons, recording 14 minutes per outing during that time. If he does see a minutes increase, one has to imagine that Hardy will take a big step forward.

“With the injuries now, he could start, he could be one of the first ones off the bench,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Hardy after practice on Saturday. “Healthy, he could still be part of that rotation. He would not start if we’re healthy just because of the names that are ahead of him. But he’s had an incredible training camp up to this point. We look forward to him playing minutes and being part of that rotation.”

Kidd and the Mavs believe in Hardy. However, the head coach was hesitant to give Hardy’s potential an exact ceiling.

“The ceiling, there is no ceiling,” Kidd said. “That’s up to him and the work that he puts in… We will see where he ends up. He’s a young player, he’s worked extremely hard on his craft and he’s getting better each year. To judge him will be at the end of his career to see what that ceiling turns out to be.”

At Mavericks’ Media Day on September 30, Kidd said that Hardy “will get his opportunity” this season, which is another reason for confidence in a potential breakout season for the 22-year-old guard.

Jaden Hardy’s role with Mavericks

Again, Kidd made it clear that Hardy’s role will be impacted by how healthy the roster is. Still, Kidd said that Hardy can play a role in the rotation even when the Mavs are at full health.

He is a guard who will likely provide a crucial scoring boost off the bench for the team. He could end up being the Mavs sixth man at some point down the road. If Hardy does enjoy a breakout season, perhaps he will emerge as a starter in the future as well.

Hardy’s potential is undeniable. As Kidd said, Hardy has continued to get “better each year.” It will be interesting to see what kind of career Hardy ends up having. If he lives up to his potential, Jaden Hardy will become an extremely impactful player in the NBA.