I AM LEAVING: Mavericks star Kyrie Irving accept a deal of $135 million to leave… See More…
One full season in a Mavericks uniform has revitalized Kyrie Irving’s career.
While Irving’s star never stopped shining, stops in Boston and Brooklyn clouded much of what Irving has put on display during Dallas’ unexpected run to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Irving’s averages of 23.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds through the first three rounds of the playoffs are certainly impressive, but his presence and leadership have captivated those who wrote him off during previous stops, particularly during his Nets days.
When Brooklyn agreed to trade Irving to Dallas in February 2023, New York headlines read, “He’s your headache now,” “You can Mav him” and “Good riddance.” Less than 18 months later, the Mavericks are the major winners of the deal.
After Irving reportedly requested a trade from Brooklyn, rumors linked him to the Lakers before Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison swooped in to make a deal for the eight-time All-Star.
At the time of the trade, I gave the Mavericks a B+ because of Irving’s injury history and impending free agency. Had I known Irving would re-sign with the franchise, the move would have earned an A.
My reasoning for the optimism was simple: Irving immediately became the best teammate Doncic had ever had and Dallas was showing a desire to move away from the middle of the pack in the Western Conference.
While it took another season — and a few more moves — the Mavs successfully jumped into another tier of contention and are now back in the Finals for the third time in franchise history.
Optimism around the trade was certainly not the overwhelming reaction. With Irving requesting a trade from Cleveland, reneging on a public promise to re-sign with Boston and requesting a trade from Brooklyn, there were doubts about how fruitful his time in Dallas could be.
Irving’s numbers with the Mavericks certainly qualify as fruitful.
