The Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn finally came to an end on Sunday. After Kyrie requested a trade from the team, the Nets acted swiftly and sent him to the Dallas Mavericks in what has easily been the biggest trade of the season.
In return for Irving, the Nets received Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick, and a couple of second-round picks. Those were exactly the players they reportedly wanted from the Mavs, as NBA insider Marc Stein had reported that the Nets coveted Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith.
While they got who they wanted, the question is whether this move brings them any closer to a championship. The Nets were determined to trade Kyrie, and they were searching for deals that would keep them in contention. So, does this deal do that? Let’s have a look at a potential starting lineup for the Nets after this trade.
C – Nic Claxton
PF – Kevin Durant
SF – Dorian Finney-Smith
SG – Spencer Dinwiddie
PG – Ben Simmons
Dinwiddie has been having a fine season for the Mavs, averaging 17.7 PPG while shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc. He provides a much-needed outside scoring option, as both Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons can’t shoot. Dinwiddie is no Kyrie, but he does give them a good secondary scoring option behind Kevin Durant, and they also have the likes of Seth Curry coming off the bench for some instant offense.
Dorian Finney-Smith Is The Wildcard
Finney-Smith is very much the wildcard here, as he has struggled this season, averaging just 9.1 PPG while shooting 35.5% from three. His defense has also dropped, as his 116.4 defensive rating this season is the worst of his career, as per StatMuse. It is a far cry from the 2021-22 campaign, where he established himself as one of the better 3-and-D players in the league.
If he can get back to playing at that level, though, then this starting 5 would look pretty good. They would have two guys who can create their own shot, multiple playmakers, and 3 excellent defenders. The shooting, though, might still be a problem because of Claxton and Simmons, but the Nets would be hoping that their defensive impact makes up for it. It has the potential to work out pretty well, but at the same time, there are concerns.
Also, do check out our projected starting lineup for the Mavericks, which is looking quite scary!
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
