Mavericks Could Move Former First-Round Pick Soon To Clear Roster Spot

The Dallas Mavericks face a roster dilemma, as they must make a crucial decision to move or waive a player to clear up one of their 15 roster spots ahead of the new season. In this regard, NBA insider Jake Fischer noted that the Mavs may opt to move either Jaden Hardy or Olivier-Maxence Prosper in the coming week. He wrote:

"The Mavericks committed in early July to re-signing guard Dante Exum to bolster their backcourt to cope without Kyrie Irving (knee) for the season's first few months, but need to shed one of their 15 standard contracts on the books to do so. It's believed that their push to make a trade to do just that, whether it involves Prosper or another player such as Jaden Hardy, will result in a resolution by week's end.”

Re-signing Dante Exum has been a priority for the Mavericks. With Kyrie Irving being sidelined with injury, the Mavs have made some noteworthy additions to their backcourt, including the signing of D'Angelo Russell, to maintain balance in their rotation for playmakers.

Exum has been with the Mavs for two seasons, appearing in a total of 75 games. Although his availability was limited in the 2024-25 campaign, the 30-year-old made valuable contributions when on the floor, posting an average of 8.7 points and 2.8 assists on 47.8% shooting from the field and 43.4% shooting from three-point range.

With Irving's injury being a factor, the Mavs' commitment to re-signing Exum makes sense. However, the need to part ways with Jaden Hardy or Olivier-Maxence Prosper could be a difficult one.

Prosper is a former first-round pick from the 2024 NBA draft. As a 6'8" forward, the 23-year-old brings a lot of flexibility to Dallas' rotation, primarily acting as a rebounding presence on the interior.

Meanwhile, Hardy has showcased his abilities as a microwave scorer off the bench. Given his preference for operating in isolation situations, he is a talented offensive player with significant upside. He averaged 8.7 points on 43.5% shooting from the field and 38.6% shooting from three-point territory last season.

Dallas' current rotation features a solid blend of guards, wings, and big men. With Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford secured, the Mavericks have a reliable big man rotation. When factoring in players like Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin on the wings, Dallas has a solid frontcourt.

Given their frontcourt depth, parting ways with the former first-round pick may not impact them as much as facing greater shortcomings in the backcourt. While the Mavericks may consider trading Hardy, primarily owing to his trade value, Dallas may be better served by moving Prosper instead.