Mavericks' offense exposed why trading Kyrie Irving would be a disaster

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 101-97 on Wednesday night, and with Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg sidelined, Dallas struggled. They shot 30-for-84 from the field and 10-for-49 from beyond the arc, turning the ball over 25 times.

The Mavericks' offense looked lost without Kyrie Irving

It wasn't the prettiest game for the Mavericks, and even though Flagg and Irving were out, this game exposed exactly why Dallas can't afford to move on from Kyrie right now. P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Naji Marshall, and Zaccharie Risacher all played, but the Mavs' offense never really got into a groove.

Their shot creation was nonexistent, and having a player who can create their own shot at all three levels while leading the offense is invaluable. This is exactly what Irving brings, and with the Mavs' backcourt thin behind him, their offense could be left in a dangerous position if they were to move on from him.

Naji Marshall looks like he'll be Dallas' backup point guard behind Irving, and while he is a great slasher and strong defender, he doesn't have the chops of most guards in this league. Add in the fact that he wasn't a great on-court fit with Flagg last season, and it could become evident quickly that the Mavericks' offense would go downhill in a hurry if they trade Irving without getting an elite guard in return.

Trading Kyrie would put too much pressure on Cooper Flagg

Their roster is mostly centered around frontcourt depth, and they have an excess of play finishers on the wing and down low. Removing Kyrie from this roster would leave them without anyone to consistently feed them the ball and create advantages.

Dallas' offense ranked 27th in the NBA in offensive rating last season, and even though they brought in many new players, the core remains intact. Everything would change offensively if Kyrie were traded, and Flagg would have to go back to being a creator almost all the time once again. It would feel like last season all over again without Irving on the roster.

Running the show every game was a massive burden for Flagg as a rookie, and he clearly is at his best alongside a good point guard. Even though a superstar leap looks like it's in store for Coop, Dallas should try to keep Irving by his side. The organization has been excited to see Kyrie play with Cooper for some time now, and splitting them up this early would be a mistake.

Irving gives the Mavericks the shot creation the rest of the roster lacks

Irving is one of the best shot creators of this generation, and he is going to make the game so much easier for everyone around him. He's going to improve everyone's shot quality due to his gravity, take the reins as the team's closer again, and be the sidekick Flagg needs after Dallas lost 26 games last season.

Kyrie's health will be a major X-factor, and the Mavs will go as far as he goes.

An argument can certainly be made that Dallas should listen to trade offers for the nine-time All-Star, as he is 15 years older than Flagg and could field a nice return, but the consequences of such a move must be considered. The Mavericks don't have enough creators to survive moving on from one of the best shooters and on-ball guards of all time, and trading Kyrie would result in the offense taking a nosedive.

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