Grading the Kyrie Irving blockbuster trade

Brooklyn Nets trade grade: B+

In a shocking turn of events, the Brooklyn Nets managed to win the trade despite the difficult spot they found themselves in. Kyrie Irving is a superstar-quality player, yes, but he’s also caused headache after headache for New York’s second franchise. The Nets clearly gave up the best player in this deal, but what they received in return should more than soften the blow.

Brooklyn is quite familiar with what Spencer Dinwiddie brings to the table, but since the last time he donned a Nets jersey, he’s grown exponentially as a shooter, averaging over 40% from deep in that time. While that number will likely decline without the presence of Luka Doncic, he should still prove more than serviceable as the Nets look to make a push in the Eastern Conference.

Dorian Finney-Smith may not be a player the Nets are as familiar with; however, he has a pretty big fan who’s already in the organization. Brooklyn’s lone remaining superstar Kevin Durant recently referred to Finney-Smith as “the kind of player that every star wants to play with,” speaking about his ability as a three-and-D player. A solid two-way player who has the approval of your last remaining star? That’s a pretty solid addition for Brooklyn.

Finally, there’s the draft compensation. A 2029 first and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 are the cherry on top of this deal that could lead to an even higher grade down the line, depending on what the team does with the two picks.

A 2029 first-round pick is certainly some ways away, but that also gives Brooklyn plenty of time to decide what to do with it. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets appear to not yet be finished on the trade market and plan to flip the picks they’ve received for Irving in another deadline deal.

The Nets made the most of a bad situation and did shockingly well.