The Dallas Mavericks were supposed to take a step toward contention when they traded Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and a 2029 first-round pick for Kyrie Irving.
It seems to not have worked out for Dallas, who have two fewer wins since the trade than the Brooklyn Nets, who also traded away Kevin Durant.
Wins since the Kyrie trade:
7 — Nets
5 — Mavericks pic.twitter.com/FJtlr1BDYa
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 12, 2023
The Mavericks are currently 34-34, on the verge of falling behind the Lakers in the standings to the 9th seed. The team hasn’t been able to come up with a defensive answer with Jason Kidd showing massive flaws as a coach. With Luka Doncic currently injured and Kyrie Irving questionable for tomorrow’s game against Memphis, the Mavericks will be worried about falling below .500 and losing out in the playoff race.
The Brooklyn Nets have found some great form with the emergence of Mikal Bridges as a No. 1 option. The team’s 3-and-D depth has made them win some tough games. Dinwiddie has been a great point guard for them, though Finney-Smith has been struggling without the same looks Luka Doncic could create for him on the Mavs.
Do The Mavericks Still Have A Shot At Contention?
The Mavericks look like they’re in disarray right now. They keep losing close games as Jason Kidd has shown an alarming inability to coach the team to close out late-game situations. He has openly said he relies on players to understand what to do within the flow of the game, but his rotations and lack of play-calling have drowned the Mavs even more.
Christian Wood is arguably their third-best player but is buried on the bench for reasons that only Kidd knows. With people feeling like the Mavs are trying to suppress Wood’s value in free agency, the lack of minutes he has gotten recently is also contributing to the team’s struggles. Especially when the one playing ahead of him is Dwight Powell.
If Kyrie Irving stays in the summer, the team can actually re-tool and be a threat next season. But given the roster, as presently constructed, the Mavericks won’t repeat their success from last season in 2023.
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