Mavericks already vindicated for dumping overnight trade pawn for clear backcourt fix

The Dallas Mavericks landed Malaki Branham as part of the Anthony Davis trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards last week, and they clearly made the right decision to move on when they did. Dallas rerouted Branham to the Charlotte Hornets just over 24 hours after receiving him as part of the Davis trade, and it didn't take long for the Hornets to move on from him, either.

The Hornets waived Branham on Monday, and now he's a free agent. Branham has now been traded twice and waived within one week, and the player that Dallas traded him for has had a strong start to his Mavericks career.

Dallas landed Tyus Jones from Charlotte in exchange for Branham on the day of the trade deadline, and he is the exact player that they needed to finish the season. He finished with four points, seven assists, and zero turnovers in his Mavericks debut over the weekend, and he gives them a consistent veteran who can run the offense when needed.

Tyus Jones over Malaki Branham was an easy decision

The Mavs didn't need another combo guard, and the upside of a pass-first point guard was much higher than a player who barely cracked the rotation in Washington.

Jones, like Branham, is on an expiring contract, and acquiring him for the rest of the season is the type of low-risk, high-reward pickup that could pay off in the long run.

With the Mavericks being 19-33 and 5.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament, the playoffs are looking like a long shot. They don't have the tools to contend in a loaded Western Conference, and their best path forward is to tank for the rest of the season to give them the best odds possible to land a favorable lottery pick.

This season is looking like a wash, but pursuing Jones rather than Branham could have benefits that stretch far beyond this season. Dallas obviously targeted Jones, as the trade that brought him to the Mavericks was separate from the initial Anthony Davis trade.

"He is different from the guys we currently have on the roster, so as Fin (Michael Finley) mentioned, we are hoping he can provide some leadership out there on the floor, some extension of our coaching staff on the floor during game play, and help organize our group," Mavs co-interim general manager Matt Riccardi said when asked about why they pursued Jones.

The Mavs' backcourt has been one of their biggest weaknesses through the first 52 games of the year, and with Kyrie Irving potentially not returning until next season, they needed someone who could set up his teammates and start when needed. Both Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams have been solid when called upon, but Nembhard's two-way eligibility is running out, and Williams has battled injury lately.

They needed one more player who could lead the offense, and that's exactly what Jones does at an elite level. He has had a down year compared to other seasons in his career, but the Mavs don't need him to be a star.

They just need productive minutes, and if he plays well down the stretch, they can explore re-signing him in the offseason. Branham didn't have a path to a real role in Dallas beyond this season, and the Mavericks could've just found their backup point guard of the future to kick off the Cooper Flagg era if things go according to plan.