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The Boston Celtics have been without a high-end rookie this season after trading away their first-round draft pick in the deal to send Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder before he was brought out, and signed by the New York Knicks.
However, according to Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft, the Celtics could find themselves snagging a former five-star recruit in shooting guard Jaden Hardey of the G-League Ignite team.
Fortunately, Boston has multiple young players to focus on developing this season, with Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard in their sophomore seasons. Sam Hauser is also new to the NBA, having been signed to a two-way deal after going undrafted in 2021.
However, with Boston in the hunt for a third star and the cap complications of adding somebody of that talent level, the team will need to embrace another rookie contract in the coming seasons.
Of course, drafting a player and finding legitimate developmental minutes for them are two totally different things. Yet, a young, impactful player could be precisely what Ime Udoka needs to inject some energy into his second unit next season – we won’t know for sure until after the 2022 off-season though.
Who is Jaden Hardy?
A former five-star recruit out of Detroit, Michigan, Jaden Hardy is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard capable of sliding up to the small forward position with ease and is widley considered as one of the best pure-scorers in his class. Hardy is easily the best-known prospect that currently resides on the Ignite team.
In his first 12 games as a professional in the NBA G-League, Hardy averages 17.7 points, 3.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds on 35.1% field goal shooting and 26.9% from deep. Don’t let those percentages confuse you, though; Hardy has all the physical tools to be a success at the NBA level and is currently learning how to play against elite competition while his contemporaries are duking it out in the collegiate ranks.
Another aspect of Hardy’s game that’s got scouts and media members excited is his ability to create his own shot off the dribble. Hardy is exceptional at manipulating defenses to create scoring opportunities and will continue to improve as his body matures.
If the 19-year-old wing improves his game over the coming months, he’s likely to rise in the draft rankings and enter the high end of the lottery. Still, due to his poor shooting numbers at present, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has the scoring machine slipping to 14th in the draft – which is where Boston is currently projected to land.
Would Hardy Help the Celtics?
A lot has been said about Udoka’s reluctance to play some of Boston’s younger talents this season. Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith have stagnated under the rookie coach’s leadership thus far. Furthermore, Romeo Langford has found himself out of the rotation after some encouraging performances earlier this season.
However, Hardy would come into the league with an NBA-ready body and a year of professional basketball under his belt, which would go a long way to appease Udoka’s consistency demands.
Of course, the NBA is another step-up in talent, and Hardy would indeed need time and patience to develop into a reliable scorer for the Celtics. Still, if developed the right way, he has the potential to earn a starting role alongside the team’s All-Star wings.
Furthermore, Hardy’s ability to manipulate defenses lends itself to the notion of him becoming a reasonably talented playmaker, and ball-handling wings are always a sought-after commodity in the NBA.
Multiple scouting reports on Hardy have him projected as a future All-Star if he lands on the right team and is given the required opportunity to develop. The Celtics have been in dire need of a genuine scoring talent off the bench for some time, and while Hardy would undoubtedly have hurdles to clear, he could quickly enter the team’s rotation and impact winning at the NBA level.
Of course, as the G-League season continues and Hardy acclimates to the talent level of his opponents, it’s highly likely that he climbs the draft board and becomes out of reach for the Celtics. But, if Boston finds itself with an opportunity to add the former McDonalds All-American, they should jump at the chance, or they could end up looking back on the decision with regret.
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