Nets trade Kyrie Irving to Mavericks, ending strange 48 hours

According to multiple reports, the Brooklyn Nets are trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick, and multiple second-round picks.

Irving requested a trade on Friday after he and the Nets could not agree on a contract extension. Irving is set to become a free agent after the 2022-23 season.

Kyrie is averaging 27.1 points per game in 40 games this season. He is shooting 48.6% from the field and hitting 37.4% of his threes.

Irving’s relationship with the Nets has been interesting, to say the least, in the four years he has been there. He signed with Brooklyn in 2019 after an uneasy two seasons with the Boston Celtics. Kevin Durant also signed with Brooklyn that same year with the hopes of building another super-team. Health has been a struggle for Kyrie throughout his career, dealing with multiple calf and knee issues, among others. He has not played a full season in his career and has not played more than 70 games since 2016.

He then dealt with the COVID-19 vaccination controversy after he refused to get vaccinated while the NBA was practicing safety procedures for players and fans. Irving received serious pushback by both the league and the media on his vaccination status until the vaccine mandates were lifted by the league.

Most recently, Kyrie was caught up in a controversy where he had posted something on social media that has been deemed antisemitic by most. Irving claimed he was simply sharing history and not promoting anything, but this was yet another example of media pushback on the all-star guard.

Irving spent the first six years of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers after being drafted with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft. He helped bring the Cavs their first championship in franchise history in 2016 as part of the big three with LeBron James and Kevin Love. The 3-1 comeback over the 73-win Golden State Warriors was the first time that comeback has ever been accomplished in NBA history. He has made eight all-star games and three all-NBA teams.

Irving now joins Luka Doncic on a Dallas Mavericks team who has made clear their intentions of finding another superstar. The Mavs currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference and just a half-game outside of the play-in tournament. The Nets currently hold fourth place in the East.