The Dallas Mavericks reportedly continue to rebuff rival teams calling about a potential trade for Kyrie Irving. However, league insiders expect the Mavs to change their stance closer to the NBA trade deadline, since the 34-year-old Irving may prefer to play on a title contender rather than in a rebuilding situation. Could the Detroit Pistons put themselves in position to trade for Irving?
A new Pistons trade idea doing the rounds would allow J.B. Bickerstaff’s team to solve their biggest problem: late-game offensive execution.
Pistons Trade Idea: Kyrie Irving
Pistons would receive: Kyrie Irving
Mavericks would receive: Ron Holland II (via NTMLE), Darius Garland, Kris Dunn
(via TPE)
Clippers would receive: Duncan Robinson, Jalen Duren ($41M sign-and-trade)
Why the Pistons Do It
During their disappointing playoff run, the Pistons had a mediocre offensive rating of 91.5 in the clutch. Conversely, their arch rivals, the New York Knicks, averaged a healthy 105.8 points per 100 possessions in the last five minutes. For the Pistons to truly compete with the Knicks and new powerhouse the Philadelphia 76ers, they need to desperately fix their obvious inability to generate quality offense in the clutch.
Some may argue that Irving and Cade Cunningham in the same starting unit may not work, but history suggests otherwise. Irving has excelled next to other ball-handlers in the past (LeBron James, Luka Doncic) and can do the same with Cunningham. Furthermore, Cunningham, who stands at 6-foot-6, has the versatility to guard bigger players, making life easier for the 6-foot-3 Irving to slide next to him in the backcourt.
The potential trade also allows the Pistons to put the Jalen Duren saga behind them. Instead, they can lock up Irving to an extension, giving the duo of Cunningham and the 9-time All-Star a lengthier title window beyond just this season.
Why the Mavericks Do It
At 26, two-time All-Star Darius Garland projects as an ideal fit alongside Dallas’s young core of Cooper Flagg, Morez Johnson Jr., Dereck Lively II, Max Christie and Zaccharie Risacher. In Dallas, he can step up as a marquee leader while returning to his natural role as a pure point guard rather than sharing ball-handling duties with others.
Similarly, the 21-year-old Ron Holland, who flashed a lot of upside in his first two years in Detroit, could harness his skills on the young Mavericks and grow with their core.
Dunn, on an expiring $5.6M salary, is just a salary filler who can be waived in a year.
Why the Clippers Do It
As a franchise in disarray, the Clippers could use a shot in the arm. Selling their franchise on 22-year-old All-Star Jalen Duren could go a long way in doing that. Duren fits the long-term vision of the Clippers better than Garland, who has two years worth approximately $87M left on his max rookie extension. This situation allows the Clippers to avoid a scenario where they have to pay Garland, instead investing in Duren.
Duren could be an exciting fit next to LA’s young core of Keaton Wagler, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Gradey Dick and Kobe Sanders.
Pistons Proposed to Land Kyrie Irving in 3-Team Blockbuster Trade