The Brooklyn Nets have repeatedly said they don’t intend to trade their star guard Kyrie Irving. Also, Irving himself reportedly told people close to him he would rather retire than play somewhere else. But that still didn’t discourage the Dallas Mavericks from trying.
According to SNY’s NBA insider Ian Begley, the Mavs have recently reached out to the Nets to propose a trade for Irving. As Begley points out, it is unclear whether the talks between the two teams progressed any further than the initial inquiry, but the sources say that big man Kristaps Porzingis was mentioned as part of Dallas’ proposed package.
Irving hasn’t played at all in 2021-22 after not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. His vaccination status prohibits him from playing home games due to New York City’s mandates, although he could have played road games in cities that don’t have similar regulations. Despite the latter, the Nets and the player agreed he should remain sidelined until circumstances change.
It isn’t surprising to see Dallas pursuing Kyrie Irving as the franchise has been looking to get another playmaker and ball handler to complement their All-Star Luka Doncic. Irving would fit the role perfectly while giving the Mavs arguably the best backcourt in basketball.
The Nets, on the other hand, should be interested in Porzingis despite his dip in production in recent years. The center position has been an issue for the franchise ever since they’ve traded Jarrett Allen, and the Latvian would be a huge upgrade to their current options.
