Mavericks' Kyrie Irving trade keeps getting more embarrassing for the Nets

When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving in February of 2023, there were many critics across the league, as Irving's reputation was being unfairly attacked following some off-court instances during his time with the Brooklyn Nets. In totality, Dallas sent away Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, two second-round picks, and a 2029 first-round pick, but given Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie's decline in recent years, this deal is now viewed as a massive fleece.

Yes, Irving missed the entirety of last season due to a torn ACL, but he could've come back this season if Dallas had a better winning percentage. He may be 34 years old, but he still proved to be extremely efficient and productive in his thirties, and he definitely still has some juice in the tank unless his ACL injury proves to be debilitating long-term.

Mavericks completely fleeced the Nets for Kyrie Irving

Meanwhile, Dinwiddie is completely out of the NBA following a brief stint in the EuroLeague that was cut short due to personal reasons. Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets last summer, but the soon-to-be 33-year-old wing only played in 37 games for the Rockets during the regular season due to lingering complications from a left ankle surgery performed in the offseason.

While the Rockets have won their last two first-round games versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Finney-Smith has only played in the last three games of the series, totaling just eight points on 2-12 shooting from the field. He had a solid stretch for the Los Angeles Lakers to close the season last year, but it's hard to justify his best days not being behind him at this point.

He's been out of Ime Udoka's rotation in many games this season, even when healthy, and isn't the same 3-and-D wing he used to be. Mavericks fans were crushed to see Finney-Smith dealt in the Irving deal, but Dallas punted on him at the right time. He was a great rotational wing for many seasons who always gave 100 percent, but his shelf life in the league is expiring rather quickly, and he'll be 35 or 36 years old by the end of his current contract.

Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith are on the outskirts of the NBA

Irving has proven to have sustained production at an All-Star level as he approaches his mid-thirties, even if he isn't as quick and explosive as he used to be. He's adapted his game extremely well with time, as he's more crafty than ever, and this elongated stretch off will hopefully pay dividends for his longevity and career.

At this current moment in time, the Mavericks essentially paid the price of the 2029 first-round pick and the two second-round picks for Irving, as both of the players they gave to the Nets in that deal are already out of the league, or seem like they'll be out of the league soon.

This is an extreme underpay for an All-Star caliber player like Irving, even if he's 34 years old right now, and the Mavericks definitely fleeced the Nets here unless one of those picks turns out to be a game-changing player.

Irving's impact on the city of Dallas and the organization has been unrivaled since he's been here, and he's been the spiritual leader of the Mavericks since the Luka Doncic trade, so he's undoubtedly the type of veteran Dallas would want on their roster next to Cooper Flagg next season and beyond.

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