How can the Dallas Mavericks trade for Kyrie Irving?

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has reportedly requested a trade. Here’s how the Dallas Mavericks can trade for Irving this offseason.

In the latest development of the Kyrie Irving saga, the Brooklyn Nets star appears to be trying to force his way out of Brooklyn, per Shams Charania.

Irving, who was linked to a huge amount of controversy this past season for his anti-Semitic comments, essentially issued a thinly veiled threat to the Nets claiming he will sign elsewhere if he isn’t traded.

Irving is set to be an unrestricted free agent in July, but Brooklyn could try to get something in return for Irving by the Feb. 9 trade deadline. Irving posted a list of his preferred destinations which included the Dallas Mavericks, among other teams, and there are several ways a trade between the Nets and the Mavs could play out.

Dallas is still hurting from the Jalen Brunson loss, and with Luka Doncic carrying the brunt of the scoring workload game after game, the Mavs could certainly use an All-Star like Kyrie Irving in the rotation.

Irving’s off-court drama aside, he would serve as a substantial upgrade from Brunson, giving Dallas a smooth rim-finisher and one of the best ball-handlers of all time. What would the Mavs have to theoretically give up?

In terms of short-term trade assets, Dallas remains somewhat limited in what they can offer Brooklyn, but the franchise at least has numerous contracts it can use in salary matching, not to mention the Mavs hold most of the leverage in a potential trade.

Getting Irving might not even require the Mavs to fork over any draft picks; instead, Dallas can offer a multi-player package of Tim Hardaway, Spencer Dinwiddie (a former Net!), and Dwight Powell. And even that may be overpaying it.

Dallas Mavericks can acquire Nets disgruntled star Kyrie Irving in a players-only trade

Both Hardaway and Dinwiddie would feasibly fit in well with Nets’ Kevin Durant (if he stays) and Ben Simmons, and the Mavs can sweeten the deal by throwing in Powell.

In 2023, Hardaway stands out as one of the more expendable players on the Mavs roster as the 30-year-old guard is owed roughly $20 million this season, good for third-highest on the team. Trading him (and Dinwiddie) away would free up plenty of cap space to sign Doncic’s future partner-in-crime, automatically making the Mavs serious playoff contenders in the West.

As for Dwight Powell, Dallas can afford to lose its starting center with Christian Wood soon returning from injury. In his first season at Dallas, Wood is averaging 18.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game and has the talent and potential to step up in Powell’s absence with Javale McGee — who hasn’t made much of an impact so far this season — serving as the veteran rotational piece.

There’s no way to avoid the obvious: Dallas needs a viable second-scoring option to pair with Doncic. With Doncic enjoying an MVP-caliber season, it could be dangerous suddenly adding a moody star like Irving into the mix, but it’s a risk Dallas needs to take to elevate its offense and build a sustainable model of success.

The Western Conference is chockful of elite shooting duos and the Mavs can’t rely on Doncic to put up a 50-burger in every playoff game. In light of Irving’s shocking trade request, a Doncic-Irving tag team in Dallas may not be as improbable as previously thought and could work out for all parties involved.