The blockbuster trade that sent Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks sent NBA twitter into a frenzy.
Irving requested a trade on Friday, saying he plans to leave in free agency during the offseason if no trade is made. He was said to be “ecstatic” about the trade to Dallas and is “looking forward” to joining forces with Luka Dončić, according to Bleacher Report Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
Irving was sent to the Mavs, along with forward Markieff Morris, for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029.
The return from the Kyrie Irving trade did not seem to bother ESPN senior writer Mina Kimes, who became a self-proclaimed Nets superfan in 2021 when the team still had a big three of Irving, forward Kevin Durant and guard James Harden.
I…..don’t hate that for the Nets at all???
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 5, 2023
ESPN Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Danny Cunningham said he didn't think the Nets could have gotten much more in return for Irving. The trade also removes them from contention in the Eastern Conference, he added.
I don’t think the Nets could’ve done much better than that in a return for Kyrie.
They’re also no longer a contender at the top of the East.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) February 5, 2023
ESPN senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears said he “had a hunch” from the time of Kyrie Irving's trade request that the Mavericks could be a landing spot. Mavs President Nico Harrison had old ties with Irving since he still worked for Nike, and would be a “big signature trade” for the Mavs executive since losing guard Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks.
Had a hunch from start of Kyrie Irving’s trade request that Dallas could be the spot. Big signature trade for Mavs President Nico Harrison after losing Jalen Brunson to the Knicks. Harrison has long old Nike ties to Kyrie. J-Kidd will be a great fit, too. Luka-Kyrie monster duo. https://t.co/ve3yDEbmQq
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 5, 2023
Basketballnews.com writer and podcaster Nekias Duncan said he was waiting patiently for Los Angeles Lakers spaces to begin on Twitter. The Lakers and Nets “had several conversations” on a potential trade, but the Nets preferred what the Mavericks had to offer, according to a Sunday tweet from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
[waits patiently for laker spaces to begin]
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) February 5, 2023
The Ringer NBA show used clips from the late-90's TV series “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction” to describe the Mavericks shutting down hope of seeing Kyrie Irving in a Lakers uniform.
Laker fans: “Kyrie Irving is a Laker!”
The Dallas Mavericks: pic.twitter.com/gtudmU9Wo7
— RingerNBA (@ringernba) February 5, 2023