The Kyrie Irving melodrama is finally over, the Brooklyn Nets have traded the talented but troubled star to the Dallas Mavericks.
In the move, Brooklyn will bring back former Nets fan favorite Spencer Dinwiddie, as well as Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, as well as 2027 and 2029 second-round picks. The news was advanced by The Athletic and confirmed by The Newk Post.
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Two days after Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Nets, he has been traded to the Mavericks to join forces with Luka DonÄiÄ, sources tell @ShamsCharania.
More on a developing story, days ahead of the NBA trade deadline:https://t.co/LRHPj9Ajm2 pic.twitter.com/hI5tq98weT
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 5, 2023
Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds, but he’s seen his relationship with this organization unravel in the past two years. He missed two-thirds of last season due to his refusal to adhere to New York’s Covid-19 vaccination mandates and was suspended 8 games without pay this tournament for promoting an anti-Semitic film.
He demanded a trade on Friday, and on Sunday morning a source confirmed to the Post that he was considering sitting out the rest of the season if he didn’t trade Thursday’s 3 pm NBA deadline. In the end, Nets owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks didn’t leave it this late.
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The Los Angeles Lakers had tried to get involved because of the mutual interest with Irving and the push from LeBron James. But Brooklyn preferred to get a plug-and-play point guard and forward along with picks, all of which they got from Dallas.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signed together with the Nets in the summer ahead of the 2019-20 season.
In three-plus seasons while they were both on Brooklyn’s roster, they appeared in just 74 games together.
H/T @SNYNets pic.twitter.com/3bOTzEt69v
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 5, 2023
They brought back Dinwiddie, who spent 5 calendars in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old guard is averaging 17.7 points and 5.3 assists as a teammate with Luka Doncic. His shooting average is .455/.405/.821, and he now fits in the backcourt alongside Ben Simmons to give the Nets a pair of long-armed disruptors.
Dinwiddie will earn $20 million this season and $21 million next year.
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Dorian Finney-Smith is a 6-foot-2 player who can play both small forward spots. He makes $12.4 million this season and signed a three-year extension in February.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd wanted to sign Irving, and the star guard also has a long history with Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who was a former Nike executive.
Fuente: The New York Post
