Kyrie Irving was welcomed to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks on Monday as the Texas team and the Brooklyn Nets confirmed their blockbuster trade deal.
Days after the controversial guard requested a move ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the two clubs tweeted confirmation of the transfer after team physicals.
The Mavericks tweeted “Welcome to Dallas” messages to Irving and Markieff Morris, who came from the Nets in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, who received a similar greeting on Brooklyn’s social media.
The Nets would also have received a future first-round NBA draft pick and two second-round selections as part of the deal.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers were among several clubs linked to Irving after his transfer request became public, reportedly after failing to agree terms on a contract extension long-term.
Dinwiddie returns to Brooklyn, where he played for five seasons before suffering a knee ligament injury at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
Irving, who won an NBA crown with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game this season, sometimes carrying Brooklyn’s goal load while a knee injury sidelined Kevin Durant.
His skills will make a potent combination with that of Dallas star Luka Doncic, who is averaging 33.4 points per game but spending huge minutes handling the Mavs’ scoring load.
Irving’s four seasons in Brooklyn have given him headaches. He missed dozens of games last season after refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
This season he was suspended for eight games after a social media post referencing a film containing anti-Semitic themes and initially refusing to apologise.
Irving has played less than 150 games over the past four seasons.
The Mavericks are sixth in the Western Conference at 28-26 while the Nets are fourth in the East at 32-20.
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