The Dallas Mavericks made the first big move of NBA trade deadline week, welcoming Kyrie Irving to Texas in a blockbuster deal that pairs him with Luka Doncic.
What the Mavericks didn’t do was trade Christian Wood. After reports and rumors circulated about his future for months, the deadline came and went without a major trade taking place.
When the dust finally settled on a wild trade deadline, Wood made sure to talk back to the haters who were sure he’d be leaving the Mavericks.
Beat y’all trade rumors … 😝
— 35 (@Chriswood_5) February 9, 2023
Got to watch y’all disrespect like I haven’t been efficiently HOOPING all year .. using it as motivation
— 35 (@Chriswood_5) February 9, 2023
Christian Wood has been huge for the Mavericks all season long. With averages of 17.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 53% shooting, Wood has been one of Dallas’ most consistent scorers.
Before the Irving trade, and even after, there were rumblings that the Mavs were considering trading him based on their needs and his deficiencies as a defender. But team owner Mark Cuban himself said earlier this season that they had plans to retain the young big man.
Can The Mavericks Win The Title This Season?
With Doncic, Irving, Wood, and young wing Josh Green, the Mavericks have a dangerous core of athletes who can compete with even the best teams in the West.
The key, of course, will be how Kyrie and Doncic fit together offensively.
“I think this is going to be great for both of them,” Mark Cuban told Basketball News. “They can play off of each other and given that both can get where they want on the court, it’s going to put a ton of pressure on defenses.”
It’s been a wild NBA season so far. With the standings so lopsided ahead of the All-Star break, many teams decided to capitalize on it and make the win-now trades their fans had been begging for.
For the Mavericks, their big splash was an extra risk considering the details of who was involved. But if this works out for them, and the Mavericks make a deep run in the postseason, they could look back on this moment as a major win for the organization.
Only time will tell how it plays out in the end.
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