In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and his future with the Brooklyn Nets. Irving may be 100 percent healthy, but he's yet to play a single game in the 2021-22 NBA season due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19. As of now, the Nets still haven't made Irving officially available on the trading block but if he won't change his stance about the COVID-19 vaccine, some people believe that Brooklyn could explore finding him a new home before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
NBA Rumors: Proposed Blockbuster Would Send Kyrie Irving To Mavericks For Kristaps Porzingis & Jalen Brunson
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Kyrie Irving To Dallas Mavericks
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According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, one of the teams that could express a strong interest in acquiring Irving before the 2022 NBA trade deadline is the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks are currently establishing an impressive performance in the 2021-22 NBA season, sitting in the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference with a 10-7 record. However, with the emergence of numerous powerhouse teams in the league, they obviously need more star power around Doncic in order to have a realistic chance of capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season.
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Mavericks Offer Kristaps Porzingis To Nets For Kyrie Irving
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Targeting a player of Irving's caliber would still come with a huge price for the Mavericks, but it isn't expected as high as before the drama surrounding him and the Nets started. As Swartz noted, the Mavericks may be able to convince the Nets to engage in a blockbuster deal by making Kristaps Porzingis the centerpiece of their offer.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Mavericks would be sending a package that includes Porzingis and Jalen Brunson to the Nets in exchange for Irving and Day'Ron Sharpe.
Kyrie Irving Bolsters Mavs' Offense
Irving would be an incredible addition to the Mavericks. Pairing him with Doncic in Dallas would enable them to create one of the league's most explosive superstar duos and significantly improve their performance on the offensive end of the floor. He would give them a prolific scorer, an incredible playmaker, a decent perimeter defender, and an elite three-point shooter.
Last season, Irving averaged 26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. With the time he spent with LeBron James in Cleveland, Irving has learned how to excel alongside ball-dominant superstars, making it easier for him to build chemistry with Doncic.
Kristaps Porzingis Creates More Space For Kevin Durant & James Harden
For the Nets, the proposed blockbuster trade is about swapping a superstar who can't play due to New York's COVID-19 mandate for a player who can immediately contribute to the team in the 2021-22 NBA season. Porzingis may have gone through plenty of ups and downs in Dallas, but he remains one of the most talented big men in the league.
Sharing the court with a floor-spacing big man like Porzingis would make it easier for Kevin Durant and James Harden to penetrate the basket or kick the ball out when they are trapped by the opposing team's defense.
