Mavericks' Santi Aldama trade now looks even better before he even plays

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama as part of a six-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this summer, and this trade looks even better for Dallas before he even plays a game. The 7-foot forward will provide the Mavericks with needed floor-spacing and versatility in the frontcourt, but one of the most underrated parts of the trade was getting rid of AJ Johnson.

Dallas moved on from AJ Johnson at the perfect time

Dallas landed Johnson as part of the Anthony Davis trade with the Washington Wizards in February, and it looks like he won't be sticking with the Grizzlies much longer. They're already looking to send him to a new team before next season, and he may be on his fifth team of his career before playing the first game of his third season.

According to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, Johnson is "not expected to remain with Memphis by the start of the upcoming season." The Grizzlies have explored the trade market for the young guard since acquiring him last month, including conversations with the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Mavericks were smart to get rid of Johnson in the deal for Aldama.

Why Johnson's time with the Mavericks went south

When Dallas acquired Johnson, it seemed like he could be a piece of the team's young core. He was in the middle of his second season, showed some promise in Washington during his rookie season, and lined up perfectly with Cooper Flagg's timeline. It made sense why it seemed like he had a chance to have a future with the Mavs, but it didn't take long for him to play his way out of Dallas.

Jason Kidd never trusted him, even when they were tanking near the end of the season, and Johnson wasn't great when he was on the floor either. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 32.3 percent from the field and 15.6 percent from downtown in 23 games for Dallas.

His role was limited for the most part, but he never proved that he deserved an expanded role either. Johnson's shooting was never consistent enough to stay on the floor, and his lack of strength makes him a shaky fit at both guard spots. It's hard to determine what position he truly plays, and his career in the NBA seems just as uncertain.

Grizzlies already seem ready to give up on Johnson

The Grizzlies, a young, rebuilding team, wanting to move on from Johnson this quickly is not a great sign for the young guard, and the Mavericks were smart to trade him when they did. Dallas likely wouldn't have been able to get much value for him if they traded him in a separate trade, and moving on in this move for Aldama was extremely smart.

They can now give their other young players plenty of developmental minutes rather than playing Johnson, and Aldama fitting such a huge need, combined with Johnson not sticking in Memphis, is great news for the Mavericks.

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