Kyrie Irving sitting out must-win game sums up disastrous Mavericks tenure
Kyrie sitting out must-win game sums up disastrous Mavs tenure originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Kyrie Irving trade was an unmitigated disaster for the Dallas Mavericks.
On Feb. 6, the Mavs acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 second-round pick, 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), and a 2029 second round-pick. The move formed one of the most talented duos in the NBA with Irving joining perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic.
But the two stars never gelled together on the court. Since Irving's debut with the team on Feb. 8, the Mavericks have posted a 9-16 record (8-12 with him in the lineup). Before his arrival, they were 29-26 on the season.
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Those struggles led to Dallas waving the white flag on Friday. Irving (right foot injury recovery) is among five Mavs players ruled out for their game vs. the Chicago Bulls, which is a must-win to avoid elimination from the play-in scenario.
Meanwhile, Doncic will only play the first quarter after being listed as probable due to left thigh injury recovery. Despite still having a chance to sneak into the playoffs, it's clear the Mavericks are prioritizing keeping their top-10 protected first-round pick.
The blame for Dallas' demise can't be blamed on Irving's performance. The ex-Boston Celtics guard has averaged 27.0 points and 6.0 assists through 20 games played with the Mavs. But at this point, it's difficult to ignore the drama that follows him to each team he joins. Boston, Brooklyn, and now Dallas each greatly underperformed expectations after acquiring the eight-time All-Star.
Irving will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
