The New York Knicks made two splash deals this summer, yet they still could make some additions to address the bench. Their bench depth has been depleted following the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and Donte DiVincenzo being traded as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster.
The Knicks could target Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes suggests that the Knicks should target young Dallas Mavericks bench scorer Jaden Hardy. Hardy saw the court less in his sophomore season after Kyrie Irving was brought back long-term, so perhaps a role on the Knicks could get him more playing time.
“Hardy played less as a sophomore in 2023-24 than he did as a rookie, and it’s hard to see him ever settling into a major on-ball role as long as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are running the offense in Dallas,” Hughes wrote. “The Knicks lost some playmaking in the Towns deal, and Hardy, who can get his own looks off the dribble, profiles as an exciting low-cost option.”
The Knicks have a need for shot creation and playmaking off the bench
As Hughes noted, the Knicks sacrificed a significant amount of playmaking in the trade for Towns. Along with DiVincenzo, All-Star Julius Randle was sent to Minnesota, meaning that New York lost their second-best playmaker and one of the best at the power forward at that.
For his career, Hardy averages 1.4 assists, which is not a large figure in itself but he has only played 14 minutes per game lifetime. However, he demonstrated the ability to be a knockdown scorer by creating his own looks during his time in the G-league. In the 2022-23 G-league season, Hardy averaged 28.8 points and shot a ridiculous 49% from three, a stout improvement from the season prior.
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Hardy has shown the potential to be a highly impactful player
He has flashed some of that same potential at the NBA level, as he has 11 career games with at least 20 points scored, with his career-high being a 29-point outing against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 6, 2023. Though the Knicks have a similar impact player in Miles McBride at their disposal, Hardy could give them an additional scorer with NBA experience.
Ultimately, going after Hardy is not a necessity for the Knicks, as they already have plenty of guards on the roster who are competing for spots in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation. However, he could be a solid depth addition who could grow into a high-impact player if given a larger opportunity in New York.
