Quentin Grimes is everything the Mavericks wished Josh Green was

With the Dallas Mavericks vastly approaching the end of preseason, more concrete decisions over how the Mavericks' rotational minutes will be distributed are bound to happen very soon. It's unfortunate that we still haven't gotten a look at this full Mavericks rotation in action, as this Thursday versus the Milwaukee Bucks will be the Mavericks' last chance to undergo a full dress rehearsal before their home opener versus the San Antonio Spurs.

With that being said though, the preseason has given Mavericks fans a glimpse at which players could cement themselves as key pieces in this Dallas rotation once the season starts, even though the level of intensity in these games isn't at par with the regular season.

One player who has undoubtedly accomplished that task through three preseason games is Quentin Grimes, as the 6-foot-5 guard has been a strong defender at the point of attack whilst displaying a fluid handle and smooth jumper on the other end.

Quentin Grimes is the version of Josh Green that Mavs fans hoped for

Grimes said that he could be far more than a 3-and-D player for the Mavericks during Media Day, and he's proved it throughout preseason this far. Moreover, Grimes is proving he is a better version of Josh Green, as Dallas fans coveted Grimes in the Tim Hardaway Jr. trade for his ability to act as a replacement valve for Green.

Don't get it twisted, Green had his fair share of moments in Dallas that left Mavericks fans wondering if he could become a high-end role player on a consistent basis. However, Green's up-and-down 3-point shooting and inconsistent defense left Mavericks fans questioning if he'd ever develop into the sort of player Dallas hoped they were getting when they drafted him in 2020.

In two preseason contests with the Charlotte Hornets thus far, Green has only scored five points in roughly 27 total minutes of game action. While Green's lack of production in the preseason is understandable given that Green is adapting to a new situation and hasn't seen the court much, Grimes has been a solid contributor for the Mavericks all preseason long and is in the same position as Green being that he's on a new roster.

In Dallas' first two preseason contests, Grimes struggled from a shooting perspective but still played with a great sense of controlled aggression as Dallas' main point-of-attack defender in many lineups. Grimes and Green have very similar athletic profiles and are the exact same height at 6-foot-5, so it's not surprising that they are both solid defenders, but Grimes is looking like he is far more overzealous compared to Green.

Grimes is also proving that he's more versatile on offense than Green early on, as Grimes has shown the ability to create off the dribble from the mid-range and 3-point land with a lot more fluidity than Green showed in Dallas. Grimes may even be slightly more athletic than Green is from a quickness perspective, as Grimes looks far more decisive when attacking off closeouts.

Green has some areas where he's likely better than Grimes such as his passing and verticality, but overall Grimes is seemingly the improved and more dynamic version of Green. Grimes' recent 20-point game on 7-11 shooting from the field against the Clippers on Monday was a microcosm of the increased dynamism he adds to Dallas' offense compared to Green, as it wouldn't be surprising to see Grimes become one of Dallas' most highly touted role players off the bench this season.