With Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks finally have the elite co-star they’ve been looking for for years. Their fit as a pairing may seem awkward at first, but the undeniable talent level both two players bring has made a believer out of even the staunchest of Irving critics.
Still, it’s not a perfect trade for the Mavericks and it’s not hard to see how much of a risk it really was for GM Nico Harrison and the front office to bring this guy in.
On the most recent episode of his podcast, 4x champion Draymond Green gave his thoughts on the big-time deal and explained some of the biggest downsides of the move.
“The downside is if it doesn’t work, Kyrie hasn’t signed an extension,” said Dray. “It doesn’t work and you piss Luka off and Luka wants to leave. That’s the downside to the trade. But if I’m the Dalla Mavericks and Im Nico, you have to swing. They swung and now we’ll see how it plays out.”
Besides Irving’s impending free agency, and how that could be the domino that leads to the team’s collapse, the Mavs’ sacrificing those draft picks in the deal is also a pretty big loss.
“The other downside is Kyrie walks and you traded a first-round pick, second-round picks, Spencer Dinwiddie, you traded Dorian Finney-Smith. So if Kyrie walks this summer that leaves you in a tough spot.”
All-in-all, Draymond was impressed with the trade and thought it was a good move for Dallas. Still, it’s hard to disagree that this could get a lot worse for them if Kyrie doesn’t stay beyond this season.
What Is Kyrie’s Long-Term Future In Dallas?
Irving seems determined to secure a maximum deal on his next contract, and it’s not yet known if the Mavericks intend on offering him such a deal. The belief is that the team will play things out and reassess their situation in the summer, but there is no guarantee they keep Kyrie past this season.
In a lot of ways, this is a do-or-die stretch for the Mavericks, who are facing all the pressure in the world after their win-now move.
Source: fadeawayworld
