Player #3 – Jaden Hardy, Guard
Like Baldwin, Jaden Hardy is a somewhat risky pick. There are talks of him going in the 20’s of the first round or in the second round, possibly. He was a relatively inefficient player for the G-League Ignite this season, shooting 35.1% from the field and 26.9% on 3’s in 12 showcase games. He had more turnovers than assists and isn’t really all that good of a defender.
Like Patrick Baldwin Jr., he should go to a team that needs young talent, or is rebuilding, so they can take the chance on a risky prospect such as Hardy.
Don’t get me wrong, Hardy does have the chance to be very good in this league, and he’s a far better shooter than those 12 G-League games demonstrated. The range is there, and if drafted to the right team, he could be an All-Star.
However, I am not sure that playing for the Cavaliers would be beneficial for both sides, as Hardy wouldn’t get a lot of playing time straight away, and the Wine and Gold would seemingly like a more NBA-ready prospect.
Like I said, the 2022 NBA Draft will have ripple effects on how the Cavaliers play in the future, and can be very influential for the Cavs’ outlook down the line.