The ballad of Kyrie Irving plays on.
After starting his season mired in off-court controversy (and a brief suspension), Irving returned to the Nets and did very well. Brooklyn went 20-4 for a stretch as Kyrie and Kevin Durant (dear God, finally) played in harmonious synchrony. It was all smiles, flowers, rose petals and a whole lot of hooping success.
But the burst of ecstasy didn’t last long. Durant hurt his knee, the Nets started slipping and Irving abruptly requested a trade out of Brooklyn. The front office obliged Sunday, shipping him to the Dallas Mavericks with Markieff Morris for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick and two second-rounders. Case closed.
Yet the saga continues. This blockbuster trade will send shock waves through the NBA. Let’s take a peek at how the rest of the NBA is affected by the deal.
If you haven’t done so already, check out our NBA betting news page and NBA MVP odds for all the latest info. If you’re more into stats and trends, our NBA first-quarter/first-half betting report is perfect for you to gather extra info before making a wager.
How The Kyrie Trade Impacts Brooklyn
What was Brooklyn thinking?
Why The Nets Traded Irving
In his introductory meeting with Dallas media, Irving told reporters he felt “very disrespected” by the Nets. In Kyrie’s eyes, his former club didn’t “celebrate” him enough (*rolls eyes*). That’s Kyrie’s view and, God bless him, he’s entitled to it.
From Brooklyn’s end, it never seemed like Irving, a pending free agent, was likely to return to the borough – he had already rejected the Nets’ extension offers. So, rather than lose him for nothing, the front office shipped him to the Mavs for a solid haul.
Kevin Durant Trade Odds
In light of the Irving trade, the Nets reportedly aren’t interested in trading Kevin Durant, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
If he gets dealt, though, the odds as of Tuesday had the Suns as +200 favorites to acquire the future Hall of Famer, with the Celtics (+300), Warriors (+400) and Hawks (+500) up next. A deeper look at the Durant odds can be found here.
Brooklyn Nets’ Championship Odds
Naturally, the Irving trade bombed the Nets’ odds to win the 2023 NBA championship. According to some sportsbooks, the Nets owned +800 odds to win the title this year. After dealing Kyrie, those odds took a tumble to +2200.
At that mark, I see some value in taking Brooklyn as a long shot (KD should be back soon), but I agree with the notion this Nets team doesn’t have a strong shot without their enigmatic point guard.
How The Kyrie Trade Impacts Dallas
The Mavs were +600 in the Kyrie Irving trade odds as recently as February 3, and boy, oh, boy they pulled it off. I bet Mark Cuban is spazzing out right now.
The Dream Of Pairing Kyrie With Luka
Doncic has been fantastic – he’ll be near the NBA MVP chalk all season – but he’s overworked. His 38.5 percent usage rate is second in the NBA, and he needed a sidekick of Irving’s caliber. Now, the Mavericks have the best backcourt in the NBA.
Dallas desperately needed a move like this, too. The Mavs have hovered around the fringe-playoff territory for most of the year but have kicked it up a notch and are now sixth in the West. Doncic’s numbers will take a hit, but his squad’s ceiling is so, so much higher now.
Dallas Mavericks’ Championship Odds
How big was Irving’s acquisition? The Mavericks are now +1400 to win the NBA championship. Before the trade, Dallas was at +3300. That’s a gargantuan leap, and it’s well deserved. Luka is already a top-three NBA superstar, and Irving brings an element of playoff production the Mavericks can lean on when they’re inevitably down a game or two in a postseason series.
NBA Trade Deadline: Kyrie Is The First Domino
Irving was the first big piece. Here are some other players who might move before Thursday’s deadline.
Russell Westbrook Trade Odds
Russ’ name has been tossed around in every bloody trade discussion dating back to the preseason. Somehow, he’s persevered through it all, settling in nicely as a bench player with the Lakers.
Westbrook’s aggression and athleticism would help any contending team. Unfortunately, the oddsmakers see him more as a salary dump than an asset. As such, if he’s traded, the Orlando Magic (+200) are the favorites to land his services. Sorry, Russ, ole’ pal. After the Magic, the Charlotte Hornets (+300) and Utah Jazz (+400) have the next-best odds to acquire Westbrook.
Fred VanVleet Trade odds
With Irving off the board, VanVleet is the next-best point guard available. The Raptors are still reportedly undecided if they’ll sell or not, but if the fire sale begins, VanVleet will go.
The Nets (+300) are the favorites to land VanVleet, if he’s traded, as a natural replacement for Irving. After Brooklyn, the Lakers (+350), Los Angeles Clippers (+400) and Phoenix Suns (+500) are next closest in the trade sweepstakes.
Kyle Kuzma Trade Odds
With a pending player option (which he’s likely to reject), Kuzma is one of the more intriguing names on the market. The Wizards aren’t contenders this season and could profit off a Kuzma trade, especially if they have no intentions of extending the 27-year-old.
Kuzma is averaging a career high in points this year (21.3 PPG), and the odds have the Golden State Warriors (+200) as the likeliest to add his scoring touch should the power forward be traded. After Golden State, the Hawks (+300), Minnesota Timberwolves (+400) and Nets (+500) are all on the oddsboard.
