6 Early Dallas Mavericks predictions for the 2023 trade deadline

2. Kyrie Irving will not be moved

Although Kyrie Irving has never indicated that he wanted to play anywhere else other than Dallas, fans love to speculate.

One of the biggest speculations, even after Irving signed his extension with Dallas this summer, was that the Los Angeles Lakers would trade for him at the trade deadline.

It's clear that Irving and LeBron James want to play together again, and people believed that the Lakers would make a mid-season move for Irving if things weren't going well for them.

After 16 games, it's clear that Irving and Luka Doncic's partnership is improved, and Dallas can win with them as the two focal points. Dallas doesn't need to move Irving, and the media and fan's doubt of the duo this offseason has proved to be unwarranted.

Doncic and Irving have been improved in the clutch, and Dallas put the necessary pieces around them to win. They didn't have the best supporting cast last season, but this season it has been a different story.

Trading Irving wouldn't be the smartest because that would cause Dallas to start over with a new co-star (assuming Dallas would land a notable co-star for Doncic in the trade). Starting from the ground up wouldn't be smart, especially for Dallas, considering their start this season, and keeping Irving seems like a given right now.