Incredible stat shows why Mavericks made perfect trade for lockdown defender

The first move that later snowballed into a flurry of other moves for the Dallas Mavericks was the trade they made with the Detroit Pistons just over a week ago.

Dallas traded Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to the Pistons for Quentin Grimes, and although this trade was mainly just the Mavs searching for a trade partner to take on Hardaway Jr.'s contract, it was also a pivotal move for Dallas to improve with the addition of Grimes.

Since Josh Green was shipped to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the Klay Thompson sign-and-trade, Grimes is likely going to step into a big role off the bench. He brings shooting, defense, and energy, and one stat shows why the Mavs may have fleeced the Pistons in front of everyone's eyes.

Quentin Grimes will be perfect for Mavericks because he defends elite players

According to BBall Index, Grimes guarded the "highest caliber offensive players" in the NBA last season, with the likes of Herb Jones, Dillon Brooks, and Lu Dort trailing him. This shows that Grimes is taking on a tougher defensive assignment than anyone else in the NBA, and his defense is going to help the Mavs tremendously.

With Derrick Jones Jr. signing with the LA Clippers, many people thought that the Mavs needed to sign one more point-of-attack, but Grimes may have that role locked up. Standing at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Grimes may not have the same intangibles that Jones Jr. has, but he has the energy, drive, and foot speed to stay with some of the best guards in the NBA.

Grimes will likely take the toughest defensive assignment (on a guard) when he's on the floor, and he will prove his value quickly on the defensive end. Grimes moves extremely well laterally, has great hands, navigates screens effectively, and always hustles back in transition.

Grimes has the chance to become the best perimeter defender on the team right away, and him always being willing to take on the toughest defensive assignment is what will make him the perfect fit in Jason Kidd's system.

Jones Jr. thrived for the Mavs due to his ability to play lockdown defense on elite players while hitting open shots on the other end, and with Grimes' shooting and offensive versatility being better than Jones Jr.'s, he can be a massive difference maker on day one.

For all the latest on Quentin Grimes and the Dallas Mavericks all offseason long, stay tuned.