Mavericks Poised for Shocking Twist Involving Star Player—What’s Really Happening Behind the Scenes?

So, here’s the kicker: just as the Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for what looks like a promising—and dare I say, unexpectedly thrilling—season, whispers swirl that they might pull a fast one on us before training camp even kicks off. You ever get that feeling a team’s making moves not to get better but just to tidy up the roster sudoku? That’s exactly the mood around the Mavs, as they juggle the headache of shedding one more contract to accommodate the newly re-signed Dante Exum while Kyrie Irving nurses that pesky knee injury. The surprising twist? Jaden Hardy—a young gun who’s shown flashes—might be the odd man out. Is this a savvy chess move or just roster management madness? Either way, the coming days could see Dallas flip the script in a way that catches fans and front offices alike off-guard. Stay tuned; this could reshape their backcourt chessboard in ways nobody saw coming.

The Dallas Mavericks have been hard at work this summer, preparing for what should be a productive and perhaps surprisingly exciting season.

But they might not be done yet, even as training camp rapidly approaches.

Jake Fischer is reporting that the Mavericks could shed one more player, and they are debating who that might be, but one name in the mix is Jaden Hardy.

“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,” per Jake Fischer.

Dallas could explore trading Jaden Hardy, per @JakeLFischer

“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… pic.twitter.com/eoFIjXkRSr

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 28, 2025

The team could make their decision soon, and the Mavericks might announce a trade within a week.

There have already been rumors about them losing Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who has been with the Mavericks since he entered the league two seasons ago.

During that time, he has averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds over 92 games.

The idea of cutting Prosper isn’t too shocking, but parting ways with Hardy is a bit more surprising.

He has produced 8.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists since starting his career with the team back in 2022-23.

Of the two players, Hardy could probably get a better return for the Mavericks, but it’s not certain where they would send him or what they would ask for.

This wouldn’t be a move to make the team better.

Instead, it is a maneuver to get rid of extra contracts and make sure the team is where it needs to be before the season kicks off.

Hardy is still a young man with a few years under his belt, so he could be attractive to multiple front offices.

If the Mavericks decide to move him, they will have their fair share of options.

The post Mavericks Could Make Surprising Move With Key Player appeared first on The Cold Wire.