Mavericks' never-ending point guard battle finally has a clear champion

With Dallas Mavericks fans eagerly awaiting Kyrie Irving to return from injury, it seems the Mavs have their new full-time backup once Irving returns, and it's pretty easy to see why. Brandon Williams has taken a huge leap from last year to now, as he's now heavily involved in the Mavs' offense. He's becoming a familiar face on the court, and it's clear that he has the edge over rookie Ryan Nembhard.

Nembhard has nothing to feel bad about, though. He's already proving more than he was expected to do as a second-round pick. The former Gonzaga point guard is no doubt a steal from this rookie class, and is making it look like the best rookie class in many years for the Mavs organization. A standard contract will be signed soon enough, but Williams has the edge because of his tenure.

In the month of January, Williams is averaging almost 14 points a game. Williams is the guy who's ready to take on that role now, and when Irving gets back, the Mavs will be in great hands once they have both Irving and Williams on the court.

Brandon Williams has become clear-cut favorite to backup Kyrie Irving

At this point, Williams has already started and played in more games this season than last. He's also averaging just over 11 points per game. Nembhard may be starting in more games this season, but Williams is averaging more minutes than Nembhard. Williams' three-point percentage isn't the brightest at around 18 percent, but that hasn't stopped him from getting involved in other ways.

Since his days with the Texas Legends, Williams has gotten better at ball handling and driving. He told one reporter that a coach in his early career gave him the advice to attack the basket with no fear. He's done that a ton this season, with no plans to stop his engine anytime soon.

The Mavs had a decision to make about Williams last season. Were they going to waive Williams on a cheap contract? Or, keep him and allow him to make a name for himself? Nico Harrison made the option to keep him, and it's paid off in the long run to keep Williams in Dallas long-term. If Williams can perfect his 3-point shooting, he's a reasonable option for a long-term piece.

Williams has more than surpassed Jaden Hardy, who only comes in as a third-string garbage-time player at this point in his career. At one point, Hardy showed the same drive as Williams did, but fans want to see the trending Williams in the lineup more often than not. D'Angelo Russell has been an afterthought for a while now, and it may not be long until he gets shipped out of Dallas.

The Mavericks clearly need to rebuild around Cooper Flagg, but they have another young piece like Williams who should be involved in that project. The Mavs already made their decision to keep Williams, but now, it's time to insert him in a new role as the backup to Kyrie Irving.