Mavs By The Numbers Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Kyrie Irving's return has given the Dallas Mavericks a much-needed boost ahead of the trade deadline on Thursday at 2 p.m. CT.
The Mavs have gone 2-0 in Irving's return, and he scored 36 points with five assists in their 119-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday at the Barclays Center. With that performance, he etched the Mavericks into rare territory.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
With Irving scoring 36 points and Luka Doncic scoring 35, Dallas accounts for the last three times a team had two players score 35 or more points in a game. Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. did it on Jan. 29 in a 131-129 win over the Orlando Magic, and Irving and Hardaway accomplished the feat on Jan. 15 in a 125-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Hardaway is having one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 17.9 points per game, just shy of his career-best of 18.1 points per game in 2018-19. Dallas is 6-1 in games where he has scored at least 25 points and 14-10 when Doncic and Irving have played together.
Doncic is in the middle of a potential MVP campaign, averaging 34.5 points, 9.4 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. Irving has averaged 25 points, 5.4 assists and five rebounds per game in 29 games this season.
Irving and Doncic have proven how good they can be on the court together, though that has been rare this season. Getting them more help has to be a priority if they're going to make a legitimate push in the Western Conference. Could that come at the expense of Hardaway?
Trading for Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma or Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington won't be cheap, and both would fill a gaping void at forward for the Mavericks. Kuzma is averaging a career-best 21.8 points per game, while Washington has averaged 13.8 points per game.
Derrick Jones Jr. leads the Mavs forwards, averaging 9.8 points per game, while Grant Williams is averaging 8.1.
While the Mavs trading their sixth man, who is also their third-leading scorer, may seem counterintuitive, having a young player like Jaden Hardy waiting in the wings can cushion the blow. Someone like Kuzma can replace Hardaway's scoring production while addressing a vital need for more size if Dallas wants to be a true contender in the West.
If the Mavericks are going to maximize Doncic and Irving's window, adding a versatile forward should be atop their list. If that costs them Hardaway, and maybe even a pick or two, that's a price they may have to be willing to pay.
