Mavs Trade for Kyrie Irving Plan: Rent-a-Star or Watch Lakers Add Help?
Kyrie Irving made headlines ahead of Friday's NBA action by requesting to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets. Ahead of a Feb. 9 deadline that features far fewer sellers than buyers, having an All-Star starter become available fuels what had previously been a quiet build-up.
When looking purely at basketball impact, Irving is having a strong campaign, averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists with high efficiency. He has appeared in 40 games despite being sidelined for eight games due to the suspension resulting from his social media post promoting an anti-semitic film.
Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported that Irving requested to be traded ahead of his impending free agency. The two sides could not agree on a long-term contract last offseason, sparking a summer of chaos. A similar disconnect occurred recently after Irving's expressed interest to negotiate an extension before the trade deadline.
In the offseason, Irving provided the Nets with a list of destinations that he'd consider in a sign-and-trade, including Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Dallas Mavericks. A lot has changed around the NBA at this point. Who could acquire Irving now?
According to ESPN, the Mavs are expected to explore the possibility of trading for Irving ahead of the deadline. They have previously been reluctant to part with substantial assets in order to make a deal work for Irving. Other teams linked to Irving currently include the Lakers and now the Phoenix Suns.
Again, it remains to be seen how interested the Mavs are in trading for Irving. There is always the risk of possible free-agency departure when acquiring an impending free agent. Irving has often sought to receive a four-year maximum contract without stipulations or partially guaranteed money involved.
Irving is earning $36.5 million in the final year of his current contract with a 15-percent trade kicker. The Mavs are limited in short-term trade assets they can offer, but do have numerous contracts that could be utilized in salary matching for a hypothetical trade. For now, it remains to be seen what the Nets would seek in return for a midseason trade.
How much risk tolerance would the Mavs have in a deal for Irving, if they were interested in making one? Would giving up young talent or future draft capital be deemed suitable? Would they be willing to part with some veterans signed to some of their more favorable contracts? Depending on the interest level of the market as a whole, those tough questions would need to be asked.
Whether the Mavs decide to pursue Irving or not, the fact still remains, the Mavs need to find a co-star to pair with Luka Doncic. Like the Lakers, one name that recently was linked as a possible offseason target to monitor is Zach LaVine. The Chicago Bulls could benefit by selling off their bigger name players to undergo a rebuild, but for now, they have not chosen to go that route.
When evaluating the trade landscape for Irving, the Nets have to balance keeping Kevin Durant happy and not taking on too much long-term salary. Without much leverage given Irving's expiring contract, the landscape could prove challenging to manufacture a return they are enthused by receiving.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here.
Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Grant Afseth on Twitter.
