Jaden Hardy ☆ Follow

Starts 0 of 1 games · 12th on LAL in minutes · Deep bench role

Situational splits: turn on Prediction tools.

Every situation, with four seasons of history →

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Analysis · Oct 23

  The host says the backup-center gap comes from the DeAndre Ayton trade, which sent Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two picks. Ayton had previously held the starting center role.

  “Why Walker Kessler's Debut Should be a Sign of Things to Come” at 19:04 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Lakers · 2 points · Oct 20
  • Host: a waiver had been coming unless the Lakers could make a deal involving Dalton (Knecht), Bronny or Jaden Hardy. Most teams were too busy cutting down to 15 to make a deal. at 3:15
  • Host thinks the Lakers will try to keep Luka or Reaves on the floor a lot. He says lineups with both off need a real guard like Sexton, not Jaden Hardy, Quentin Grimes or Bronny James. at 19:25

  “Dalton Knecht's Release Closes an Ugly Chapter for LA... Plus, Collin Sexton Ready to Play?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Lakers · 5 points · Oct 19
  • Andy Kamenetzky: The host names three obvious cut candidates: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James (described as a project and very back-of-rotation player) and Dalton Knecht, who had completely fallen out of the rotation. at 2:46
  • Andy Kamenetzky: Jaden Hardy came from the Wizards this offseason, along with two second-round picks, in the DeAndre Ayton deal. at 2:42
  • Andy Kamenetzky: Hardy, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James were all on guaranteed deals, so the Lakers had to eat a contract. at 5:04
  • Andy Kamenetzky: Host view: Jaden Hardy is by far the most proven of the three. He is a consistent three-point shooter but a fairly one-dimensional player. at 5:14
  • Andy Kamenetzky: Hardy has the biggest contract of the three (around $6 million). The host says that makes him the most useful for salary matching in a trade during the season. at 5:29

  “Dalton Knecht Waived as Disastrous Lakers Tenure Ends, Roster Down to 15” · listen ↗

• X Dave McMenamin (@mcten) · Report · Oct 16

  Lakers guard Jaden Hardy on the roster math the team has to figure out with 16 guys under contract and needing to get down to 15 by opening night: “I’m just coming in here every day working and putting my head down … It’s in God’s hands, literally. I’m blessed to be here”

  original post ↗

  also reported by Andy Kamenetzky, Locked On Lakers, Locked On Lakers host

• Podcast Locked On Lakers · 2 points · Oct 17
  • Jaden Hardy made a nice case for himself: 13 points in 14 minutes on 5 of 9 shooting, 3 of 5 from three. He stuck to scoring. at 24:30
  • Both hosts think Hardy is the least likely to be waived, though he could maybe be traded depending on the return. at 24:46

  “Big Three Play, Redick (Potentially) Previews Starting Lineup, Lakers Lose Preseason Finale” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Lakers · 8 points · Oct 15
  • Andy Kamenetzky: The three players discussed most as likely to go are Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy. Both hosts think a waiver is more likely than a trade. at 2:51
  • Host view: none of Bronny, Hardy or Knecht has distinguished themselves in the slightest through four preseason games. at 8:09
  • JJ Redick (reported): Relayed: JJ Redick said that Bronny and Hardy, as ball-handling guards with the third string, have often had to do more ball handling and floor generaling than they otherwise would, because several players have been out. The hosts paraphrase this as being asked to operate above their station. at 8:16
  • Preseason game one was the only game in which the Lakers had most of their roster, and it was the game in which both Hardy and Bronny played best. at 9:00
  • Even allowing for that context, the host says the third-string minutes of Bronny and Hardy have been alarming. Neither has been able to make plays off the dribble or pass under ball pressure, and for Bronny the problem is especially ball pressure. at 9:16
  • Distinction drawn: Hardy is being asked to do things he would never be asked to do in a real NBA game. Bronny is being asked to do things the team wants him to be able to do, but he is not ready yet. at 10:07
  • Hardy's preseason line as read: 9.3 points per game on 36% FG / 22% 3PT splits and 7.5 points field goal attempts a game, despite being 'supposed to be a three-point specialist'. His assist-to-turnover ratio was read as 'exactly 1-2'. at 11:06
  • Jaden Hardy plays a position the Lakers don't need. He came over as what they could get back to make the "Aiton" deal work; they weren't seeking him. at 19:51

  “How Will the Lakers Get Down to 15? Why Holes at the Back of the Roster Are Important” · listen ↗

Podcast items are our short summaries of what was said, credited to who said it; posts and stories link to the original. Opinions and rumors are labelled as such and are not checked facts.