The Dallas Mavericks are shaking up their lineup and making a big move to bolster their backcourt. The Mavs have acquired Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Kyrie Irving in a blockbuster trade. This move will bring a new dynamic to the team and could be the piece that the Mavs need to make a deep playoff run.
In the trade, the Mavericks will be sending the Nets Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick. Power forward Markieff Morris is also coming to Dallas in the trade. Kyrie Irving is reportedly “ecstatic” about the trade and is “looking forward” to teaming up with Luka Doncic.
In 40 games with Brooklyn this season, Irving has averaged 27.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists per game on 48.6 percent shooting from the field. He is a proven 3-and-D wing and a shot-maker who can help to ease some of Doncic’s offensive responsibilities.
The Mavs consulted face-to-face with Doncic before agreeing to trade for Irving. It is clear that the team wanted to make sure that Doncic was on board with the move. Both the Mavs and Nets are in playoff contention and they both likely felt pressure to make moves that would help improve their chances of making a deep playoff run.
The Nets now get a proven 3-and-D wing (Finney-Smith) and a shot-making guard (Dinwiddie) who used to play for the team. Meanwhile, Irving is eligible for a two-year extension and a four-year deal this summer. If the Mavs don’t want to keep Irving on the team past this season, the team will have close to max salary cap space in the summer.
The Dallas Mavericks have made a big move to bolster their backcourt and it will be exciting to see how this new dynamic plays out. With Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic on the court, the Mavs have the potential to make a deep playoff run and could be a team to watch in the 2022-2023 NBA season.
Source: www.wfaa.com