Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving. Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images. Source: Getty Images The Mavericks sent Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first round draft pick and two second round picks in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris.
Finney-Smith went undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016 before being picked up by the Mavericks.
The 6’7 forward is averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on the season so far.
Dinwiddie was taken with the 38th overall pick in the 2014 draft by Detroit, and returns to Brooklyn, having had a five-year stint there between 2016 and 2021 before an ACL injury.
Irving had reportedly threatened to sit out the rest of the season if he was not traded, according to Stephen A. Smith on NBA Countdown.
“Kyrie Irving is prepared to sit out the rest of the season if need be,” Smith said before the Mavericks trade was locked in.
“That’s what I’m being told.”
With Irving eligible for a two-year extension now, or a four-year deal in the summer, Dallas will have “close to max salary cap space” this coming offseason if they do not commit to Irving long-term, according to Tim MacMahon from ESPN.
Irving is the only incoming All-Star on an expiring contract this year, and so not committing would free up Dallas to either overpay to lock up an in-demand free agent of their choice, possibly Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell, who is averaging 18.1 points and 6.2 assists on the season, or remain flexible with their expenditure.
Irving had been seeking around a four-year $198.5 maximum extension, according to ESPN.
Trade talks with the Lakers were reportedly quite advanced, but the Nets opted to go with the Mavericks’ package, which provided immediate cover for Irving at point guard, as well as future draft picks.
Irving’s time in Brooklyn has been turbulent since he signed in free agency in July 2019.
After becoming the ninth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club and the fourth to do so while averaging 25 points a game, Irving refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19, preventing him from playing or practising with the Nets for a two-month stretch.
Mavericks’ All-Star Luka Doncic (pictured centre) will finally have the second superstar he needs to challenge for an NBA title. (Photo by Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) Source: AFP The eight-time All-Star eventually returned to the Nets as a part-time player, only playing games outside of the New York and Toronto area, where local laws required him to be vaccinated in order to play.
The 30-year-old requested and was granted permission to seek a sign-and-trade last year, but eventually returned to the Nets alongside 13-time All-Star teammate Kevin Durant, opting into a US$37 million player option.
Then-Nets shooting guard James Harden also asked to be traded ahead of the deadline last season, ending up in Philadelphia.
In November last year, the Nets suspended Irving again for refusing to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs” after he took to Twitter to share a link to an antisemitic 2018 documentary entitled “Hebrews to Negroes”.
He is averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists on the season, shooting 48.6% from the field and 37.4% from deep.
The Nets enter the trade deadline placed 4th in the Eastern Conference.
