The NBA’s trade season is officially open as the League’s first blockbuster of the year has finally taken form. After months of back-and-forth speculation, the Brooklyn Nets have finally traded away superstar Kyrie Irving. Sending the eight-time All-Star to the Dallas Mavericks in a deal centered around Spencer Dinwiddie, who is set for his second stint in Brooklyn, forward Dorian Finney Smith, and draft compensation.
Irving initially requested a trade after the Brooklyn Nets’ most recent contract extension offer included a “championship stipulation,” which incensed the eight-time All-Star’s camp and effectively ended any and all contract negotiations between the two parties. While Irving was rumored to still be willing to honor his contract and play out the season, there was immense pressure put on Brooklyn to find a suitor ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
Both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Lakers were closely tied to Irving, but as trade talks ramped up Sunday morning, the Mavericks’ offer proved to better fit the vision of Nets’ general manager Sean Marks. The full details of the trade involve Irving and veteran forward Markieff Morris heading to Dallas as Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks are all Brooklyn-bound.
Kyrie Irving is now a member of the Dallas Mavericks. How do both teams grade out after the deal?
There is plenty to look at when it comes to this deal as the fallout, but first, it’s only fitting to begin with the star of the trade, the newest member of the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving.
Dallas Mavericks trade grade: B-
This sounds harsh for a team that made a swing for the fence as they look to pair their franchise player with a legitimate co-star. Kyrie Irving is the clear star of the deal, and Markieff Morris is a legitimate veteran presence whose jump shot has seemingly not yet left him.
Irving will almost certainly continue his impressive, All-Star caliber season alongside his new fellow superstar, Luka Doncic, and will lighten the road for the MVP candidate, especially down the stretch of the season. The concern with this deal is not with what the Mavericks traded for but rather what they traded away.
Kyrie Irving is unquestionably a major offensive upgrade, but Dallas traded away arguably their best defender along with a guard who, while not a strong defender, is more adept on that end than Irving has proven to be. Defense will be a real issue for the Mavericks heading into the playoffs barring another move or two being made prior to then.
This is not a “bad” trade as the Mavericks clearly ended up with the best player in the deal, and they get bonus points for pleasing their franchise player who had the potential to soon become a flight risk. However, an average defense has gotten significantly worse, Irving brings more than his fair share of baggage to the city of Dallas, and there is not yet a guarantee that he will remain with the team past this season.
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.