3 teams with the most to lose in NBA free agency
By Jakob Ashlin
Teams with the most to lose in NBA free agency: 2. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are in a tough spot. They have two legitimate superstars in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but they have very little depth and limited options to improve. Irving is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, Irving and the Mavericks have a “handshake deal”.
"“I hear they had a handshake deal before the trade [with the Brooklyn Nets]. And Kyrie wouldn’t have said yes to anything less than the max.”"
However, if Irving decides to explore his options, the Mavericks’ second-leading returning scorer could be Tim Hardaway Jr.
The logical landing spots for Irving (Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns) do not have the cap space to sign him, so they would have to agree to a sign-and-trade with the Mavericks. Subsequently, their worst-case scenario would be adding some depth in a returning package.
Still, losing him would significantly worsen their championship odds. In 2022-23, he was sensational on the court, averaging 27.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds.