Jaden

Hardy

Hardy has appeared in seven games since being traded from Dallas at the deadline, and he has scored in double figures in each of them, though this was his highest-scoring outing. He has never been able to contribute in multiple categories, but he is undoubtedly a talented scorer. He’ll remain a reliable source of offense for Washington for the rest of the season.

Hardy shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, providing solid value in the points and three-point categories. However, he logged just 18 minutes, and the overall stat line was lean. If the Wizards decide to sit any of their mainstays for Friday’s game against the Pacers, there may be a few more minutes available to Hardy. However, with Will Riley (six points) playing just four minutes on Thursday, he’ll likely be the Wizard who benefits the most.

Back in action for the first time since January 29, Johnson was limited to 18 minutes on Wednesday. While other Wizards have seen their playing time limited recently, one would assume that Johnson will play more after the All-Star break. That alone gives him “silly season standout” potential. A sneaky option who doesn’t need to be stashed is Jaden Hardy, who played 18 minutes in his Wizards debut and finished with 11 points, one rebound, one assist, and three three-pointers.

Hardy will be available to potentially make his Wizards’ debut on Wednesday. While he may not be in a position to impact fantasy basketball, Hardy is someone whose playing time may increase after the All-Star break if Washington looks to limit Kyshawn George’s minutes.

Hardy’s Wizards debut will have to wait for at least one more game. Given his role in Dallas, fantasy managers should hold off on adding the fourth-year guard until it’s made clear that there’s a place for him within the Wizards’ rotation.

Hardy has been an electric scorer at time since he was drafted in the second round in 2022. He’ll now get a fresh start on a rebuilding team in Washington, and he could get a chance to play big minutes down the stretch of this season. However, he likely isn’t part of the Wizards’ plans for the future, so he may not find a long-term home in Washington.

The firsts include the Thunder pick in 2026 and a protected Warriors pick in 2030. Davis is set to be re-evaluated in late February, but managers shouldn’t expect to see him play much down the stretch as the Wizards look to improve their lottery odds. However, Davis joins Trae Young and a talented young core in Washington, and they should add another top pick this summer. Davis will form an elite defensive tandem down low with Alex Sarr that should allow Washington to return to the postseason as early as 2027, assuming they plan to keep him around.

Thompson is back after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to the Timberwolves. His absence factored into fellow reserve Jaden Hardy playing 24 minutes off the bench. With Brandon Williams (ankle) considered a game-time decision, it’s possible that Hardy’s playing time won’t decrease much, if at all.

Christie exited Saturday’s loss to the Lakers early in the third quarter after spraining his left ankle, but he was not in the locker room long before returning. If he’s unable to play, the Mavericks would likely give Jaden Hardy rotation minutes after he picked up a DNP-CD on Saturday.

Christie is back in the Mavericks’ starting lineup after missing two games with an illness. His return means that Jaden Hardy will come off the bench. While he should remain in the rotation, Hardy’s streaming value takes a significant hit with the lineup change.