The Los Angeles Lakers acquired multiple second-round draft picks when they traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards. For a team with limited draft resources, that was a definitive win. The underrated element of the trade, however, was the acquisition of Jaden Hardy.
Though the uncertainty surrounding the Lakers' interest in Jonathan Kuminga seemingly puts Hardy's tradable contract at risk, Rob Pelinka should commit to reuniting him with Luka Doncic.
Hardy, 24, played the better part of three seasons with Doncic as members of the Dallas Mavericks. That includes 2023-24, when he appeared in 73 regular season games and 19 postseason outings as Doncic led Dallas to the NBA Finals.
Though Hardy played a somewhat limited role alongside Doncic, he's thoroughly established himself as one of the better shooters in the NBA—and may now be able to make this pairing work.
Hardy is a career 38.6 percent three-point shooter who has tentatively joined a Lakers side that ranked No. 23 in three-point field goals made in 2025-26. Los Angeles has certainly made an effort to improve its shooting in free agency and at the 2026 NBA Draft, but it still needs depth.
Hardy would certainly help in that regard as a sharpshooter who possesses a key characteristic that Los Angeles has limited avenues to acquiring: Developable talent.
Jaden Hardy is too talented for Lakers to reroute in another trade
Hardy has only played 14.9 minutes per game through four NBA seasons, but he's produced well during that time. He boasts career averages of 8.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 three-point field goals made per game on .425/.386/.756 shooting.
Those numbers translate to rather eye-opening marks of 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 3.3 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
A volume scorer who isn't afraid to take chances, Hardy may just be what the Lakers' second unit needs. He's a willing and capable three-point shooter who can work off of Los Angeles' primary scorers and playmakers, and offer spacing for downhill scorer and projected sixth man Collin Sexton.
Hardy could even form a solid wing duo with rookie Cameron Carr, with both projecting to shoot efficiently for the Lakers and thus offer improved spacing.
It's also worth noting that Doncic and Hardy displayed intriguing chemistry in their limited time together. Doncic averaged 2.3 more points and 2.6 more free throws per 75 possessions with Hardy on the court between 2023-24 and 2024-25, with Hardy shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc during that time.
Compounded by the fact that Hardy is owed just $6 million in 2026-27 and has a matching $6 million salary on a club option for 2027-28, the Lakers should capitalize on this rare opportunity to develop a young player on a team-friendly deal.
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