Kyrie Irving speaks with the media after a Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Derrel Jazz Johnson for rolling out)
Kyrie Irving, one of the most magnificent offensive talents the NBA has ever seen, has been traded from the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023.
Irving, 30, has been a double-edged sword in that he is also one of the most obstinate and mercurial players of this generation which often eclipses his virtuoso on-court performances. Therefore, when Irving demanded a trade this past week from the Nets, the team who is exasperated with Irving, happily obliged their pugnacious point guard.
The Athletic and ESPN have confirmed the trade is being finalized now, with the Mavs getting Irving and the Nets receiving Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and some draft picks.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets are trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round and multiple second-round picks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2023
The Mavericks wasted no time pairing up two of the offensive juggernauts, Irving and Luca Doncic, in promotional material, though they have been equally infamous for their defensive deficiencies.
Kyrie Irving has been traded to the Mavericks, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/UD0Fp8Mmqh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 5, 2023
Irving was averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 steals per contest in his fourth season with the Nets, according to NBA.com, so he automatically makes the Mavs backcourt arguably the most dynamic and prolific backcourt in the league.
Despite these impressive numbers, or perhaps because of them, Irving’s tenure with the Nets will be viewed as a major underachievement. His alliance with Kevin Durant — and to a lesser extent, James Harden — failed to produce a single Eastern conference championship, much less an NBA title. Irving and Durant only played together for 74 games in three years, which is not even an entire single season which is 82 games.
During the 2021-22 season, Doncic led the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals. This year, the Mavs are 28-26 in 54 games, which is good for sixth place in the Western Conference. The addition of Irving automatically makes the Mavs title contenders.
