Mavericks' Anthony Davis blockbuster just sparked another sneaky brilliant trade

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Tyus Jones from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Malaki Branham on Thursday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, and this was an excellent move that should help Dallas' backcourt considerably for the rest of the season and potentially beyond if they re-sign Jones.

Dallas acquired Branham as part of the Anthony Davis trade yesterday, and the decision to reroute him to the Hornets for Jones is the type of low-risk, high-reward move that the Mavericks needed. The Davis trade was already a positive for Dallas, as it was predicted that he would get moved for just expiring salary, but they ended up getting five draft picks while also creating future cap flexibility due to the expiring contracts they brought in.

On top of these picks, the Mavs received Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, and now, Jones. Three of these four players are on expiring deals, outside of Johnson, but flipping Branham for Jones can't go unnoticed.

Landing Tyus Jones was a major sleeper trade for Dallas

With Kyrie Irving missing the entire season so far due to an ACL tear, they needed some more bodies to hold down the backcourt with Jaden Hardy and D'Angelo Russell being traded. While Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard have both been solid, they needed a veteran presence to steady the ship and help Cooper Flagg develop.

Having a pass-first point guard run the show alongside Flagg is exactly what he needs, and assuming Jones gets significant playing time for the remainder of the season, this should help Flagg settle into his role. Jones is one of the most underrated playmakers in the NBA due to his unbelievable basketball IQ and low turnover numbers, and he needed a fresh start badly.

Jones was playing just 15.7 minutes per game for the Orlando Magic before he was traded to the Hornets and eventually the Mavericks, and Dallas is exactly where he needs to be. He is someone whom the Mavs have been eyeing this season, and they were able to get their hands on him right before the trade deadline hit at 2 PM CT.

Branham likely wasn't going to play much if he remained with the Mavs anyway, and the Davis trade looks even better for Dallas with Jones coming to town. He is a strong 3-point shooter off the catch, a maestro in the pick and roll, and has a nice floater, and he could find himself being one of the Mavs' top point guards for years to come if the final stretch of the season goes well for him.

Jones' one-year, $7 million deal expires after this season, and the next two months could prove to be a dress rehearsal to see if he belongs in Dallas long-term. They need guard help, and if he is a good fit, the Mavericks could explore re-signing him in the summer.

The Mavericks virtually got Jones for nothing, as they only rerouted Branham, and this could be one of the most underrated moves of the trade deadline if Jones plays himself into a future home in Dallas. If he doesn't, then Dallas can let him walk in free agency.