The Dallas Mavericks made the blockbuster deal for Kyrie Irving last season, so they will be hell-bent on keeping him alongside Luka Doncic. There is no way Dallas would have traded for Irving if there wasn’t a “handshake agreement” with Irving that the player would be offered the maximum amount of money to stay with the team. Luka led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals in the 2021-22 season, so a player of Irving’s caliber could be the difference in getting the Mavericks to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 2010-11 season. 

Irving averaged 27.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.5 APG on 49.4% FG, 37.9% 3-PT FG, and 90.5% FT last season, so clearly, he is still a superstar player at 31 years old. The Dallas Mavericks cannot afford to let a top free agent leave unless they can bring back another star player and most importantly, return the ball into Luka Doncic’s hands. To do so, the Mavericks will likely target center Deandre Ayton in a trade for their superstar point guard. 

Luckily for the Mavericks (and possibly the Suns), Kyrie Irving will meet with the Phoenix Suns and will be interested in joining the team led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. As crazy as that lineup is already, adding another top-10 scorer in the NBA would make a laughably dominant offensive team devoid of any defensive talent. Still, the modern NBA is all about offense, and there is no doubt Kyrie provides more of that for the Suns. On the other end, the Mavericks will make Luka Doncic the primary ball-handler and offensive player while improving their depth at the center position with this blockbuster trade.

Trade Details

Phoenix Suns Acquire: Kyrie Irving

Dallas Mavericks: Deandre Ayton

No doubt, this straight swap would give both teams what they need in terms of offensive firepower and two-way play at the center spot. Here is how this deal works for both sides and why it might be the biggest deal of the summer.