The possible plans of the Dallas Mavericks in the upcoming NBA Trade Deadline

In the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, everything looked bleak for the Dallas Mavericks fans. Kyrie Irving was unable to be present due to the illness that has affected the team since late November. They were also without Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, and Naji Marshall due to various injuries and a suspension. Meanwhile, they had to battle against the league-leading team despite all this.

Dallas ended up losing to Cleveland 134-122 in a game that was not closely contested for most of it. However, this matchup with the Cavs had a positive side regarding what the Mavs can do at the NBA Trade Deadline. While trade rumors involving the Mavs have been relatively scarce this season apart from reports indicating they are looking to move Maxi Kleber while seeking frontcourt depth, there might be another trade possibility with the emergence of Brandon Williams.

Against the Cavs, Williams finished with 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists, shooting 4 of 9 from the field and 2 of 4 from beyond the arc. If he becomes a reliable rotation piece, he could make Jaden Hardy more expendable. Hardy had a good game against the Cavaliers, tallying 17 points and three assists on 6 of 11 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 from three-point range, shining in the final quarter. However, his future is starting to look uncertain considering his role combined with the impending return of Dante Exum from his wrist injury relatively soon.

Hardy's role and performance have fluctuated this season, and he is quietly turning into someone Dallas could trade next month to help make the salary work in a deal. On Friday night, he was outperformed by Williams until Hardy's stellar final quarter. While Williams' sample size is extremely small at this point, he is showing the necessary skills to be a reliable guard in the rotation who can step in during injury-plagued situations.

Williams' passing, craftiness around the rim, and three-point shooting were evident in the game against the Cavs, and Jason Kidd seems to have a favorable opinion of him, considering he entered the game on Friday night ahead of Hardy and Jazian Gortman. The fact that Williams was the second Maverick off the bench, only behind Daniel Gafford, was a significant surprise to fans, and this could be a sign that Kidd is looking to work with him in the rotation going forward.

After the game, Kidd praised Williams for filling the void left by Dallas not having Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Naji Marshall in the lineup, saying he brought a spark off the bench, also speaking highly of his minutes since Dallas' game against the Sacramento Kings last week.

Jason Kidd's Words on Jaden Hardy

Conversely, Kidd was a bit more neutral when asked about Hardy's performance, stating that he was better tonight compared to his previous outings against the Kings and Houston Rockets: "Hopefully, he shakes off some of that rust," Kidd said. "He's been out for a while, but I thought he was good tonight."

Hardy missed some time in December with an ankle injury, and the end of his game against the Cavs was a positive step in the right direction. His finishing, especially in traffic, remains a concern, but he was able to string together some solid minutes towards the end of the game and helped lead Dallas' comeback.

It is unknown whether Dallas will try to trade Hardy at the trade deadline or not, but he is certainly a player who could intrigue a team they are negotiating with. The Mavs signed Hardy to a three-year, $18 million extension before the season started, and while he hasn't materialized into the high-volume scorer Mavs fans hoped for after his rookie year, he remains someone who could become a consistent rotation piece if he can deliver strong performances and be positive in his minutes.

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