Jaden Hardy Continues Aiding Wizards Anthony Davis Trade

He's averaged 12.8 points in the sort of deeper-bench role he's spent the vast majority of his four professional seasons occupying, shooting at will on career-best splits with a 45.4% hit rate from the field and 42.7% success from behind the 3-point line. The Wizards often need some new face to provide life and energy to early blowouts, and he's prevailed as one of the team's best at locating scoring opportunities and producing highlights out of nowhere, most recently rattling off 25 points against the New York Knicks for his highest-mark yet at his current stop.

And Hardy isn't some bland minute-eater with no future as a Wizard, either; in fact, he'll still be under his current contract next season, with a club option awaiting the guard before the 2027-28 campaign. He can stay in house for up to two more complete schedules without a necessary extension, and given his ability and willingness to get his game off without guaranteed starting-caliber minutes, he possesses real value to a potentially-deep Wizards rotation that'll approach nightly basketball with a more serious attitude as soon as next fall.

Adding to a Building Pattern

Hardy's made up for the deep-cut possessions that could have gone to Dante Exum and D'Angelo Russell had they not been waived or told to go home while the two sides work another move out, respectively.

And the new Wizards' capacity to parlay a fresh start into cold statistical results has developed into a common thread for most of those involved in the initial transaction.

Look at Marvin Bagley III and Khris Middleton; those were two of the Wizards' regularly-deployed role players, with the play-finishing center and scoring wing each sustaining as helpful pieces in the team's attempts at surprising opponents and pulling out occasional wins.

They've each carried whatever momentum they'd accumulated to the Mavericks- while Bagley's comeback season continues in the form of strong finishing around the rim and hard-fought rebounds, Middleton's still getting his looks as a perimeter shooter with efficiency figures that more-closely resemble his days with the Milwaukee Bucks. Even if Dallas doesn't keep the veteran, they're still appreciating what he's providing to the locker room, while Bagley is evidently still viable as a nightly contributor.

Hardy, for his part, has been arguably more pleasing to Wizards fans who can still enjoy watching recently-traded performers still getting the job done. He's a player to monitor amidst the front office's angling past the rebuilding phase, icing atop the Anthony Davis cake that's still yet to be fully understood and appreciated.