Los Angeles Lakers fans dreaming of a “Big Three” on the team if Kyrie Irving joined are not going to like what happened this afternoon.
Instead of joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Irving is headed from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks.
Brooklyn gets back guard Spencer Dinwiddie (a former Net), as well as forward Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round selection, as well as 2027 and 2029 second-round picks. The news was first reported by the Athletic.
Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds and was named to the all-star team. But his time in Brooklyn was filled with turmoil, culminating in a suspension for endorsing a film filled with antisemitic tropes. He also missed two-thirds of last season due to his refusal to adhere to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
The NBA trade deadline was Thursday, putting pressure on the Nets for a quick move. Irving threatened to sit out the rest of the season if he wasn’t dealt.
