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Two Duke Basketball One-And-Dones Likely Becoming Teammates in Dallas

Look for Dereck Lively II to flush more than a few lobs from fellow former Duke basketball player Kyrie Irving.
Matt Giles|
Two Duke Basketball One-And-Dones Likely Becoming Teammates in Dallas
Two Duke Basketball One-And-Dones Likely Becoming Teammates in Dallas

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Kyrie Irving, who arrived as a member of the Dallas Mavericks from the Brooklyn Nets via the trade route in February, is one of the NBA's big-name free agents this summer. But as Dallas Basketball's Grant Afseth explained on Wednesday, committing to the Mavericks benefits the 2010-11 Duke basketball one-and-done the most financially:

"The top offseason priority for the Dallas Mavericks remains to re-sign Kyrie Irving. He is eligible to sign up to a five-year, $272.9 million contract if he returns to the Mavs. If he was to outright depart in free agency, the most he could sign with a different team for is a four-year, $201.7 million contract."

And according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday night's SportsCenter, "the full expectation is that [Irving] returns to Dallas" as a co-star alongside Luka Doncic.

So assuming that's the case, Kyrie Irving will be a teammate to one of Duke basketball's two one-and-done products from last season, Dereck Lively II. The 7-foot-1, 230-pound center went No. 12 overall at the NBA Draft and could see action immediately for Dallas due to his top-shelf defensive prowess around the rim.

Given Lively's threat as a lob finisher and Irving's playmaking abilities, one would think the pair of NBA Blue Devils would enjoy joining forces to produce momentum-changing highlights.

RELATED: List of Every Blue Devil Currently in the NBA

Ironically, the franchise revealed on Monday that Lively is wearing No. 2 next season, the jersey number that Irving sported in his 20 games as a Maverick last season. However, that is unlikely any indication Irving is on the way out; presumably, he will welcome a return to No. 11, which was unavailable when he joined the team.

Last season, the Dallas Mavericks finished with a disappointing 38-44 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since their 2018-19 campaign.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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