Mavericks vindicated for dumping fan favorite as replacement shines

Nico Harrison will forever be infamous in Dallas Mavericks history for obvious reasons, but one of his last moves as general manager of the team is actually paying dividends for the Mavericks this season. This move was none other than converting Brandon Williams to a standard deal after being on a two-way contract for two straight seasons in Dallas, but one must give credit to Harrison for making this choice, as he could've converted Kessler Edwards to a standard deal instead.

Edwards had become a pillar of consistency in Dallas, being a versatile forward who proved he could guard up when needed. He was shooting the ball at the best rate of his career, and the then 24-year-old stepped up in a huge way for the Mavericks down the stretch of the season, amidst tons of injuries in the lineup.

Williams had some big scoring games down the stretch of last season as well, but Dallas only had one open spot to convert one of their two-way players to a standard deal ahead of their play-in bout versus the Sacramento Kings last April, and Harrison and company went with Williams over Edwards. This is a move that has ultimately paid off for the Mavericks, as Williams has become a crucial piece in the rotation with Kyrie Irving out of the lineup, and Edwards has been in the G League.

Brandon Williams has become a key piece for the Mavericks

Edwards signed with the Denver Nuggets on an Exhibit 10 deal ahead of training camp, but was waived before the season started, and is now with Denver's G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. Edwards has been extremely impressive for the Gold this season, proving his defense, rebounding, and outside shooting with Dallas wasn't a fluke whatsoever, but he unfortunately couldn't find his way onto a deep Denver roster.

Williams has been one of the best attacking guards in the league for the Mavericks this season, as he's shooting 45.6 percent from the field despite only shooting 19 percent from outside. His efficiency and ability to get to the rim are elite for being a 6-foot-1 guard, and he's been Dallas' lead guard in their rotation recently, as his finishing ability and mid-range shot have been efficient enough to override his lack of an outside jumper.

Williams is a unique player in the modern NBA and has unrivaled speed, and he projects as someone who could stay in Dallas for the next few seasons if the Mavericks can retain him in free agency this summer. Even if Irving stays in Dallas for a few more seasons, the Mavericks would be smart to nail down Williams while he's entering his prime, as there aren't many guards in the league that possess his skillset, and he could become dangerous if his outside jumper ever becomes somewhat reliable.

Edwards is still probably an NBA-level player and seems to have been hindered this season due to a lack of opportunity, but Dallas has multiple wings with similar archetypes to Edwards, especially with Cooper Flagg joining the team this season. Because of this, Harrison made the right decision to give Williams a multi-year standard deal instead of Edwards at the time, even if both players far out-played the two-way deals they were on at the time.

Williams has carved out a niche in the league with the Mavericks, so hopefully Edwards can do this with another NBA team, as he gave the Mavericks everything he had during one of the toughest stretches in franchise history.