Dallas Mavericks chances of Winning NBA Championship improves to 14-1 odds w/ acquisition of Kyrie Irving

The Western Conference has officially been put on Notice!

Since the news broke late last week of the Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving’s desire to be traded by Thursday’s trade deadline, the whispers in barbershops across America was that the Los Angeles Lakers would be the destination. Not so fast! In a shock to every sports fan, it was announced today that Kyrie Irving will be taking his talents to the Dallas Mavericks. How did this happen? What about the Lakers? 

In what everyone speculated would be a forgone conclusion, the path was to be paved in gold and yellow, with the end of the rainbow to be Lebron James and Kyrie hoisting the NBA Championship Trophy. 

In a stunning move that shocked the sports world, it was announced that the Brooklyn Nets chose the Dallas Mavericks over the Lakers. The deal sends Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris to Dallas, while the Nets will receive the consistent services of Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and a 2029 first round, second round and a 2027 second round pick. Some might say the Mavericks threw in the kitchen sink to acquire Irving, but the move pairs two perennial future Hall of Famers on the court at the same time. 

The question is, will the move prove instant success? From the looks of things, the move is built for now, not later. With a looming escape cause, Irving could be back on the hunt this summer if not offered a four year deal by the Mavericks. However, the Mavericks will worry about that at season end. For now, Dallas is 5th in the West with a 29-26 record headed into All-Star break. If Dallas can work its way in the top three, it would improve their chance of scoring a more favorable 1st round opponent. Superstar MVP candidate Luka Doncic has been keeping the Mavericks a float with a near triple-double every game, which with Kyrie’s amazing floor general skills, should propel Dallas to the Western Conference Finals. 

The addition of Kyrie Irving will give the Mavericks a solid 25+ points a game with 5 rebounds and an equal amount of assists. Luka will be able to truly play the power forward position for the first time in his 6 year career. But do the Dallas Mavericks have enough? With a starting line-up of Luka Doncic at the point, Kyrie Irving as SG, Tim Hardaway Jr. as SF, Markieff Morris as PF and Dwight Powell at Center. With a solid core coming off the bench, the Mavericks have a fighter’s chance. Let’s just see how the ball dominant Luka and Kyrie gel together.

Reasons Why The Dallas Mavericks Could Win it All

As noted, Kyrie Irving has a lot riding on the last 30+ games of the 2023 season. Kyrie is looking for a max contract, and there is no other platform to display why he deserves a massive contract, than to show the world his greatness alongside Luka. Trust me, Kyrie is about to show up, and show out!

The Mavericks have a better roster than most would think. Unlike in Brooklyn, Kyrie will be under the toolage of Coach Jason Kidd and will have the freedom to play his game. The entire roster will elevate their play on both ends of the ball. Defensively, the Mavericks can now place Kyrie on the opposing teams point guard and matchup big for big across the spectrum. Offensively, the addition of Kyrie will revitalize Luka Doncic’s mobility and agility. The offensive narrative will change by pressuring teams to change their strategy. Prior, teams would simply double team Luka and force the rest of the team to become the playmakers. To avoid being doubled, Luka had no choice but to play the point guard position, keeping the ball in his hands for most of the shot clock. The addition of Kyrie will force the league to play Luka Doncic, honest!

Kyrie Irving’s knowledge, experience and winning pedigree will take the Mavericks to new heights. The best thing about it is that in 5th place in the West, the Mavericks just need to hold the line and move up one slot to the 4th position, hence matching up in the first round against a Grizzlies or Lakers team. The first round matchup will be crucial. If the Mavericks win their first round series, the road will be paved for Dallas. Trust me, the Dallas Mavericks have a point to prove! Beware

While others speculate and tend to pre-judge, I feel good about Kyrie’s fresh start. Doncic wants to win, the Mavericks want to win, and so does the City of Dallas.

Dallas Mavericks Remaining Schedule 2023