Gabe Vincent Considered Potential Kyrie Irving Replacement for Mavericks

Getty Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent defends Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets.

With free agency just days away, the Dallas Mavericks‘ biggest summer task awaits — retaining Kyrie Irving. Dallas traded for Irving back in February, accepting the risk of him potentially leaving as a free agent this summer.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the expectation is that Irving will be back with the Mavericks for a new contract. However, he revealed that the front office is eyeing Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent as a potential candidate to replace the star guard if he was to leave.

“Gabe Vincent, the Heat’s other key free-agent starter from their underdog run, has a strong opportunity to return,” Fischer wrote. “Vincent has generated plenty of interest around the league, but some of his possibilities elsewhere, as is the case with many of the forwards on this summer’s open market, have already dried up… Vincent is also a secondary candidate in Dallas and Philadelphia, if any chicanery were to prevent the Mavericks or Sixers from retaining Kyrie Irving or James Harden, respectively. Both All-Stars, however, appeared headed back to their incumbent teams at the moment.”

Vincent caught the eyes of many during the playoffs this spring. He played a major role in Miami’s surprise run to the NBA Finals, averaging 12.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 40.2% from the field and 37.8% from deep.

Mavericks Won’t Have Much Competition in Retaining Kyrie Irving

Despite Fischer’s report, it seems unlikely that it’s going to come down to signing Vincent for the Mavs — which is a good thing. He’s right, all recent signs point towards Irving inking another contract to stay in Dallas this summer.

Just last week, NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that it seems the Mavs will be the lone dog in the race for the 31-year-old’s talents in free agency.

“League sources say that these developments — especially the latter — have reinforced the notion that the Mavericks appear to be the only confirmed bidder for Irving’s services as the opening bell for 2023 NBA Free Agency at 6 PM ET on June 30 draws near,” Stein wrote.

He did add that in-state rival Houston could emerge as a landing spot for Irving, but their front office likely wouldn’t prioritize him.

“What could change that landscape? As I reported here June 11, Houston is expected to weigh a run at Irving if James Harden resists the Rockets’ overtures and the lure of a return to his adopted favorite city by electing to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers,” he explained. “Remember: Weigh means consider,” Stein wrote. “It was also conveyed to me this weekend that Irving, at best, would rank as the Rockets’ No. 3 choice among lead guards available in free agency if Houston decided to take its interest beyond the mere consideration phase — behind both Harden and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet.”

Heat Pinned as Threat to Lure Kyrie Irving from Mavericks

Though they weren’t mentioned by either one of Fischer or Stein, the Heat could make a run at Irving this summer. But, if they were to do so it’d have to be via trade.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Miami tried to make a move for Irving before Dallas did, and may try again this offseason.

“Just to give you a glimpse of what they’ve looked at over the last several months, they made an offer to the [Brooklyn] Nets for Kyrie Irving at the deadline from what I’m told, right before he got traded to the Mavericks before the deadline,” Charania said of Miami back on June 13. “They’re going to explore seeing what the star market is out there… Do they circle back on Kyrie Irving?”