On February 5, 2023, all-star guard Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in return for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, guard Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029. The Brooklyn Nets are also reported to have given veteran forward Markieff Morris to the Mavericks alongside Irving.
ESPN reports, "The Nets plan to offer the picks acquired in the trade -- as well as their 2027 first-round pick via the Philadelphia 76ers -- in trade talks to try to improve the roster ahead of the Thursday trade deadline."
Irving will resume his All-Star caliber season, averaging 27.1 PPG and 5.3 APG, with the Mavericks alongside fellow All-Star guard Luka Doncic. This concludes a 3-and-a-half season tenure with the Brooklyn Nets, which started with a season-ending shoulder injury in February 2020, only playing 20 total games in the 2019-20 season. However, he would make the All-Star game in a mostly healthy year the following season. His last two seasons have been plagued with controversy, as he only played home games for a majority of the 2021-22 season due to his refusal to take the vaccine, and this contradicted NBA's health and safety rules. He also was suspended towards the beginning of the 2022-23 season for promoting an Anti-Semitic film via social media.
As Irving requested a trade on February 3, the Lakers were a team in intense pursuit of trading for Irving, as he and Lakers star LeBron James are friends and former teammates. However, the New York Post claims, "According to a report from Marc Stein, one of Nets owner Joe Tsai’s 'presumed objectives' was to not trade Irving to the Lakers, which was his 'preferred' destination after he requested a trade from Brooklyn last week." The controversy around Irving's tenure in Brooklyn undoubtedly led Tsai to refuse to listen to Irving's wishes.
Due to the failure to acquire Irving, LeBron James would post a cryptic message on Twitter.
Irving himself would post a message to Twitter to thank the fans of Brooklyn.
Irving is expected to play his first game for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, February 8, against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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