Mavericks pulled off the offseason's biggest heist thanks to Kyrie Irving

At the beginning of the summer, the Dallas Mavericks pulled off one of the biggest steals of the offseason when they signed Kyrie Irving to a three-year, $119 million deal. Although Irving was always expected to stay in Dallas, this was an extremely team-friendly deal, and his selflessness ultimately helped the Mavericks gain access to the taxpayer mid-level exception, which they used to sign D'Angelo Russell.

If Irving would've signed a more lucrative extension with the Mavs, they likely wouldn't have been able to use the taxpayer mid-level exception, and Dallas being able to add Russell because Irving took a pay cut has to be the heist of the summer.

Since Irving was coming off a torn ACL, it was expected that his contract wasn't going to be a max deal, and less than $40 million annually on average for Irving is a major steal. Even at 33 years old, Irving remains one of the best point guards in the NBA, and Dallas needs him healthy to win a title.

Kyrie Irving helped give Mavericks an incredible offseason

While Anthony Davis was out with an adductor strain last season, Irving was playing some of the best basketball of his career as he had to carry the load while his co-star was out. He was doing whatever he could to keep the Mavericks in the mix, but he ultimately ended up tearing his ACL in March.

The Mavericks' season was officially over when Irving went down when he tore his ACL, as they had no chance to win without him, and fans can't wait for his return later this year.

The first half of the season may not go as smoothly as Mavericks fans want, as Irving's absence can't be undermined, but that is exactly why they signed Russell. They wanted someone who could run the show while Irving is out, while later transitioning into a back-seat role once he returns, and he should be able to play that role perfectly.

Russell's shooting, passing, and all-around scoring should help hold Dallas over until Irving comes back (likely at some point in 2026), and fans have already begun to overthink this signing. All that matters is that Russell can play with efficiency while maximizing the performance of those around him for the first half of the season, and his real time to shine will be when Irving comes back.

Of course, the Mavericks are going to need much more out of him while Irving is out compared to when Irving is in the lineup, but Dallas signed him to ultimately allow him to transition into the backup point guard spot. Russell is poised to be one of the better backup point guards in the league, and fans will likely get to see many different lineups with him, including one with him sharing the floor with Irving and one with him leading the second unit.

Dallas coveted Russell in free agency for his ability to eventually play alongside Irving, as well as his on-court chemistry with Davis. Russell and Davis spent time together as teammates for the Los Angeles Lakers, and they are going to have the chance to take their partnership to the next level next season as they'll be two of the primary creators in the starting five.

Without Irving, signing Russell truly wouldn't have been possible, and this two-for-one signing truly could end up making or breaking Dallas' 2025-26 season.