Luka Doncic was all smiles in the aftermath of the Kyrie Irving trade. At the time, it was believed that Dallas could become a legitimate force in the West, with both Luka and Kyrie leading the way.
But amid a frustrating stretch full of disappointment and failure, the Mavericks are on the outside looking in on the playoff bracket, and now it’s gotten to a point where the team is considering shutting down their star duo for good.
“I think the Mavericks have to seriously look at whether you shut down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving these last 3 games of the regular season,” reported Shams Charania. “This is a team that is one game out of the play-in behind Oklahoma City and OKC has the tie-breaker over them so they are essentially two games out of the play-in with just four games left. You have to see what happens with Utah and Oklahoma City between now and Wednesday when the Mavs play at home against the Kings. I’m told the organization is seriously considering shutting down those three guys.”
“I think the Mavericks have to seriously look at whether you shut down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving these last 3 games of the regular season” 😬@ShamsCharania on the #Mavs mindset going into the final 3 games#RunItBack #MFFL pic.twitter.com/IPqgwS2YHm
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) April 3, 2023
The Mavericks are still technically alive in the playoff picture, and they could squeeze back in with strong performances to close out the season. Unfortunately for them, however, their fate isn’t entirely in their hands, as they’ll need help from the teams above them to move up in the standings.
Over the next few days, the Mavericks will be wrestling with some big decisions, but it may be better for them to call it this season so they can focus on how to salvage this situation in the long term.
Kyrie Irving’s Future Is Uncertain Ahead Of Unrestricted Free Agency
The biggest factor in the fate of the Mavs moving forward will be the destination of Kyrie Irving, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. While he hasn’t shut down the possibility of re-signing with the Mavs, it’s no secret that he has been heavily tied to the Lakers.
“Plant that seed right now,” said Vince Carter on a potential Kyrie Irving, LeBron James reunion. “More than likely we probably will see Kyrie in a Laker uniform because of this.”
Of course, Uncle Drew has made it clear that he will follow the money, so if the Mavericks are willing to offer him a long-term deal, it could be all he needs to stick around for the long haul.
But with how bad things have been, one has to wonder if Kyrie is better off somewhere else…
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.
