Mavericks Acquire Kyrie Irving in Trade With Nets

The Mavericks have acquired Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Nets will receive forward Dorian Finney-Smith, guard Spencer Dinwiddie, and a 2029 first-round pick and second-rounder. Along with Irving, the Nets are sending forward Markieff Morris to Dallas, per Charania.

Irving requested a trade late last week after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension, saying he preferred that the trade take place before Thursday’s NBA deadline. Otherwise, he would leave in free agency at the end of the season, per reports.

His pairing with Mavs guard Luka Doncic immediately gives Dallas the league’s most dynamic and potent backcourt.

Along with the Lakers and Suns, the Mavericks were immediately linked to Irving by national insiders, with Irving’s ties to GM Nico Harrison and coach Jason Kidd cited as major reasons why.

The Nets-Mavs talks gained momentum on Sunday, per Wojnarowski, with the Nets preferring the Mavs’ offer over one from the Lakers.

Harrison is a former Nike executive who grew familiar with Irving when he became a client. Irving has since been dropped by Nike. Also, per Wojnarowski, Kidd wanted the Mavs to trade for Irving.

Meanwhile, Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie should help the Nets stay in title contention, with both being veteran players who GM Sean Marks clearly believes will fit nicely next to Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and the rest of the Nets.  This, of course, marks Dinwiddie’s second stint in Brooklyn.

Dinwiddie is under contract thru the 2023-24 season.

Finney-Smith signed an extension last February and is under contract thru the 2025-26 season.

Irving will be a FA and is eligible to sign a 2-year $83M extension with Dallas but only if he does not amend his trade bonus. https://t.co/oIIoTv80K8

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 5, 2023

Irving, 30, is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds, shooting 49 percent from the field and 37 percent on 3-pointers in 40 games. He was suspended briefly earlier this season for tweeting out a link to anti-Semitic material.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2011, Irving also requested a trade from the Cavaliers following the 2017 season.

Dinwiddie, 29, is averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 53 games. He is shooting 46 percent from the field and 40 percent on 3-pointers.

Finney-Smith, 29, is averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 42 percent from the field and 36 percent on threes, in 40 games.