5 Reasons the Mavericks aced the Tim Hardaway Jr. for Quentin Grimes trade

4. Mavericks defense improved tremendously

Quentin Grimes has been a steady defender since he joined the NBA in the 2021-22 season with the New York Knicks. Grimes has averaged 0.7 steals per game so far in his career. Last season in Dallas, Hardaway Jr. only averaged 0.5 steals per game. At times, Hardaway Jr. looked confused when playing defense.

According to StatMuse, Grimes had a defensive rating of 116.1 in the 2023-24 season. That is a pretty impressive number for a young 24-year-old player coming off his third NBA season. Grimes' defense and off-ball activity stood out in his short six-game tenure with the Pistons last season despite him battling injuries.

With Grimes being younger than Hardaway Jr. too, Grimes is someone the Mavs can build around and build a future with. Hardaway Jr. was clearly out of place towards the end of his tenure in Dallas and was a liability on defense.

When comparing Grimes to the other guards off the bench, he has the chance to become the best guard defender on the roster and someone who Jason Kidd can rely upon to guard the best bench players in the league.

He is elite at the point of attack, and he will only continue to improve.