Kyrie Irving has found a new home. The 30-year-old was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks this past weekend.
The full trade details state the NBA champion and forward Markieff Morris will head to Dallas in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 second-round draft pick, an unprotected 2029 first-round draft pick, and a 2029 second-round draft pick. Notably, Dinwiddie will make his return to Brooklyn after playing for the Nets from 2016 to 2021.
NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Irving formally requested a trade on Friday (Feb. 3), six days before the NBA trade deadline. His time as a member of the Brooklyn Nets was riddled with injuries, sitting out a large portion of the 2021-2022 season due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and his recent controversy after promoting an anti-semitic film.
The Brooklyn Nets were viewed as a favorite to win the NBA Finals the last few seasons, especially with Kevin Durant and James Harden all being on the roster at one point. Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2022, and the Nets were subsequently swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. Irving reportedly wanted to leave the team during the 2022 offseason after not being granted his desired contract extension, but with limited options, he ended up sticking around.
Now, the eight-time NBA All-Star joins the young superstar Luka Doncic, who led the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals last season. The Western Conference is wide open, and the usual powerhouses have been struggling this year, so Kyrie Irving could be exactly what the now-sixth-seed Dallas team needs to make an NBA Finals push. If so, it would be their first appearance since defeating the Miami Heat in 2011.