USA TODAY International Edition
Mavericks acquire Kyrie Irving from Nets
The Dallas Mavericks have reached a deal to acquire All- Star guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney- Smith, a first- round pick and multiple secondround picks, a person with knowledge of the proposed trade told USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly until the deal is official.
On Friday, Irving rattled the NBA world with a trade request from the Nets after the two sides could not come to terms on an extension.
This deal has a chance to reshape the Western Conference standings headed into the final 10 weeks of the regular season. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, had interest in Irving.
Irving, an All- Star this season and one of the most gifted players in the league, averages 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds and shoots 48.6% from the field, 37.4% on 3- pointers and 88.3% from the foul line this season.
The Mavericks have been searching for the right players to put alongside MVP candidate Luka Doncic, and they are taking a chance with Irving. Going into Sunday, Dallas was 28- 26 and in sixth place in the West, just a game behind the fourth- place Los Angeles Clippers. But the Mavs are also just a game ahead of 10th- place New Orleans.
Irving did not play in Brooklyn’s victory against Washington on Saturday, and the Nets did not plan to play Irving ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline while they worked on a deal.
Irving was suspended by Brooklyn earlier this season for his promotion of an anti- Semitic movie and his initial refusal to apologize. The team said at the time he was unfit to be part of the franchise. Irving wanted to remain with the Nets. But according to Bleacher Report, Irving and his representation were unhappy with Brooklyn’s offer.
Mavs general manager Nico Harrison used to work for Nike and has a relationship with Irving, who had a sponsorship deal with Nike until it declined to re- up with him following the anti- Semitic problem.
Irving is in the final season of a fouryear, $ 136.4 million contract he signed with the Nets in 2019. Dallas has the ability to sign Irving to an extension, but if that doesn’t happen, Irving will be a free agent following the season.
Irving’s presence will alleviate some of the responsibility placed on Doncic, whose usage rate ( the percentage of plays used by a player) is 37.6%, just behind league- leader Joel Embiid’s 37.8%. Doncic is also No. 8 in minutes played at 36.5 per game.