The Dallas Mavericks have started much better this season than most NBA pundits believed they would. They are 7-5, which has them 10th in a stacked Western Conference. Some are surprised by that good start because it was unclear how well Kyrie Irving would play.
Irving missed all of last year while recovering from a torn ACL. He has played well in his return, averaging almost 22 points per game while shooting close to 48 percent from the field. In addition, he’s shooting 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. He has been the subject of trade rumors, and one insider doesn’t expect him to be moved.
Mavericks Unlikely to Move Kyrie Irving, According to NBA Insider
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Irving is unlikely to be moved out of Dallas. He believes that they want to keep him and that Irving is happy in Dallas.
“All in all, I’d lean strongly toward Irving staying put at this point. Yet when you talk to rival teams about players who would truly change the playoff landscape if they were dealt, and who are widely expected to generate serious interest because of that belief, Irving still tops the list. Never mind that the Mavericks, and Irving for that matter, have shown no signs of wanting a split. Quite the opposite, in fact,” Amick writes.
Other teams are trying to get Dallas to move Irving, as he would be a hot commodity. However, it doesn’t seem that they have any interest in doing so. Irving is playing on an expiring contract, though he does have a $42 million player option next year.
Irving is perhaps the most sought-after trade target on the market at this point. He is someone who could help a win-now team, but the Mavericks seem to want to keep him. Irving has meshed well with Cooper Flagg, and they have a shot to make the playoffs if they stay healthy.
Dallas is Still Trying to Figure Out the Trade Landscape
The Mavericks don’t want to trade Irving right now, but that doesn’t mean that things can’t change. It would all depend on the offer they were given. It also could depend on the record that Dallas has by the time the trade deadline starts to inch closer.
Last year, Flagg had to play some point guard because they didn’t really have a viable point guard. Keeping Irving would help the development of Flagg continue the right way. Perhaps that’s the reason why they have not decided to move him to this point.
The Mavericks have the 16th-best net rating in the league. They are average right now as they try to merge the young guys on the roster with the veterans. Dusty May is a first-time NBA coach, as well. It seems Masai Ujiri is waiting to see how his roster looks before making any decisions.
NBA Insider Gives Update on Whether Mavericks Will Trade Kyrie Irving