Mavericks’ refusal to trade Kyrie Irving could haunt them in the long run

Kyrie Irving is a member of the Dallas Mavericks and there is no indication that will be changing anytime soon. Brett Siegel was yet another NBA insider who recently reaffirmed that Masai Ujiri and company have not given anyone the impression of Irving being anywhere close to available.

"There's been no trade talks over the last month regarding Kyrie Irving. Teams reached out near the start of free agency to inquire about his availability. ... The message to them was Kyrie's not available."

While the Mavericks should not be simply looking for just any deal to offload Irving, their resistance to the overall thought is a touch baffling. For one, Kyrie does not exactly fit the long-term timeline in Dallas. Plus, if the former NBA champion proves lessened after his injury or is forced into another stint in street clothes, the Mavs would have missed their best shot to trade him at high value.

Mavericks are passing on their best opportunity to trade Kyrie Irving

Irving is already 34 years old. While there should be some optimism about a game built on skill aging gracefully, by the time the Mavericks are truly ready to compete for a championship again, Kyrie is unlikely to be a major part of that title push.

Perhaps there is value to be found in Irving's tutelage in the meantime. Kyrie has enjoyed a storied NBA career that will be worthy of the Hall of Fame one day. His added maturity over the years makes him a solid mentor for any NBA star.

Despite considering those very fair points, it is tough to shake the thought that Dallas could get a real haul from a desperate team in the present for Kyrie's services. Someone overpaying for Irving is largely tied to the idea that most rivals would still be sold on him being a bona fide star.

What if Kyrie returns from his latest injury and proves to be a step slower?

The last time everyone saw Irving on the court, he was still averaging 24.7 points and 4.6 assists per game with shooting splits of 47-40-92. That is the type of presence a franchise would overpay to have in their backcourt as their main star's leading source of help.

Irving has a ton of value to contenders right now, and there is at least some real fear about that mystique being gone once the new seasons arrives. Maybe the Mavericks want a source of stability after all the changes and struggles they have endured over the past couple of seasons. It could still prove costly in the long run.

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