Nico Harrison's surprise 'best' Mavericks move just saved them in the nick of time

Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has been under fire for the last 75 days ever since he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, and the flak from fans won't be getting much better anytime soon.

Regardless of whether the Mavs beat the Memphis Grizzlies or not tomorrow night and advance to the NBA Playoffs for the second year in a row, Harrison will always be known as the man who traded Doncic, and he hasn't been doing himself any favors since the trade went down on February 1 either. From being part of a secret press conference with fewer than 15 media outlets earlier this week to throwing Mavericks fans under the bus, Harrison has only enraged Mavericks fans even more, but one move he made days before the playoffs began is beginning to get some well-deserved recognition from the national media.

The Mavericks filled their open roster spot by converting Brandon Williams' two-way deal to a standard contract with just a few days remaining in the regular season, and this signing by Harrison has worked out beautifully thus far. Williams was excellent in Dallas' play-in win over the Sacramento Kings last night, as he finished with 17 points while shooting 5-8 from the field and 3-4 from downtown, and Harrison has to be feeling good that he has Williams locked up for the time being.

Mavericks' most recent signing is drawing eyes everywhere

Williams is truly beginning to make a name for himself in this league with his incredible finishing, smooth handle, and undeniable quickness and fearlessness when driving to the rim, and the praise for Williams has stretched far beyond MFFLs.

ESPN's Bobby Marks posted about Williams towards the end of Dallas' victory over the Kings last night as he gave the Mavs a massive boost off the bench, and he truly may be one of the biggest steals in the NBA, considering the contract he's on.

"Brandon Williams might be the best $47K a team has spent at the end of the regular season," Marks said.

While it was originally reported that Williams' contract was a two-year deal, regardless of what his contract details are (one-year or two-year deal), Harrison's decision to sign Williams with the final roster spot rather than Kai Jones or Kessler Edwards could end up being a decision that helps the Mavs earn a playoff berth after being counted out long before the playoffs began.

Dallas' guard depth has been a major problem ever since Kyrie Irving went down in March, and Williams has helped replace Irving's firepower ever since he was given an elevated role from Jason Kidd. Williams' scoring, craftiness, and finishing at the rim show serious shades of Irving, and the Mavs may have found their starting point guard for next season until Irving returns from his ACL tear.

Yes, he's that good.

While Harrison is going to continue to receive flaming arrows of hate for years for the Doncic trade, along with the way the organization has handled it, signing Williams was undoubtedly an outstanding move by him and the rest of the front office to give the Mavericks a great shot at escaping the Play-In Tournament.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Mavericks are getting the most out of Williams after he was only on a two-way contract last league. He is proving that he deserves to be on a 15-man roster in this league for years to come, and he will be crucial for Dallas tomorrow night.

Williams isn't just filling in anymore. He's helping the Mavericks survive.