Mavericks' Kyrie Irving gamble backfired badly after ignoring every red flag

Nine months ago, the Dallas Mavericks were in the NBA Finals. While the team lost to the Boston Celtics in five games, the Mavs had high aspirations to make another run back there this season. Dallas equipped their roster this past offseason with players like Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Spencer Dinwiddie. However, things would not go the way fans had hoped.

It all began last month when Harrison did the unthinkable and traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. This caused an uproar from Mavs fans, as they protested their feelings toward the Doncic trade. They felt blindsided and shocked; it was a move no one saw coming. Doncic was expected to be the franchise's leader for years to come alongside Kyrie Irving, his "hermano."

To make matters worse, Anthony Davis, the player Dallas acquired in the Doncic trade, played one game for the team before straining his adductor. Davis's injury caused him to be out for a significant time. Daniel Gafford joined Davis on the injury report, as he went down with a right knee sprain soon after. This put a hole in the team's big man position, with Dereck Lively II already out.

Dallas added salt to the womb when they traded Quentin Grimes for veteran Caleb Martin. Fans questioned the move, as Martin was dealing with a right hip strain. While Martin is expected to make his debut soon, Grimes is making the team look foolish. He recently had one of the best games of his career as he dropped a career-high 44 points against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

Kyrie Irving's workload raised red flags long before the injury

Yet, as injuries continued to pile up, the Mavericks continued to remain somewhat relevant in the NBA playoff race. Currently, Dallas sits a game and a half from the seventh spot and two games back from the sixth spot. They also have a significant lead over the Phoenix Suns for the final play-in spot.

However, Dallas' latest injury may be the final nail in the coffin. The Mavs' playoff hopes look demolished, as Irving suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee. This comes as a huge blow for the Mavs. The team was expected to reevaluate some of their stars, like Gafford and Davis, this week on Thursday. Irving's news, though, could derail their return as the season is over in the sense that they won't be able to go on a deep playoff run without him.

So, could this injury have been avoided? Was Irving's bad luck or was it something deeper?

It's difficult to say if an injury is ever avoidable. However, Irving's minutes per game took a major leap in February. Before the Doncic trade, Irving averaged 37.1 minutes per game in January and 35.7 minutes per game in December. Yet, after the Doncic trade, Irving averaged above 40 minutes during the first five games in February. He played a season high 44 minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, March 10. Irving finished February playing 39.3 minutes per game.

As shown above, Irving averaged the most minutes per game during a six-week period. This comes as a surprise to fans, as the team had multiple guards like Dinwiddie, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy who could relieve Irving.

It's possible that Dallas overworked Irving because they had no choice. Doncic had been traded, and Davis was expected to be out for a significant time. So, their only chance of winning was playing Irving heavy minutes. The team, though, took a chance by upping Irving's minutes and forcing him to play beyond his usual time.

Given Irving's age and injury history, it's confusing as to why coach Jason Kidd and his staff overworked Irving. If you recall, Irving will be 33 this month. His time is ticking, and his body has suffered various injuries throughout this career. In January of last year, Irving was sidelined for six games with a right thumb sprain. Last season, he missed an entire month of basketball with a left foot sprain and he has also dealt with a shoulder injury and a back injury this season.

Irving's injury now puts Dallas in a difficult spot. Irving has a player option this summer and can opt out of his contract if he desired. Assuming he does, this would put Dallas in a difficult position. The team can only hope Irving and Davis come back hungrier and healthier for next season. Nico Harrison's plan of winning in the next couple of years is not looking so good right now.