Players Mavericks May Replace Irving With Before Trade Deadline

The Mavericks traded for All-Star Kyrie Irving last season with hopes of making a deep playoff run. However, they fell short of that goal as they didn't even make the play-in tournament. Despite their brief time together, the Mavericks decided to extend Irving's contract and run it back with a full season pairing Irving and Doncic in the backcourt.

Despite their poor preseason performances, the Mavericks have significantly improved at the start of this season, remaining undefeated at 3-0. However, despite their current form, many are speculating about a possible trade for Irving due to his averaging only 19.5 points per game this season. This is in contrast to the franchise leader, Doncic, who is leading the team in assists (9.7), rebounds (11.7), and also leading the entire league in points (39.0). With this in mind, here are some possible stars that could be traded for Irving and sent to Dallas before the upcoming trade deadline.

Zion Williamson

Williamson has been at the forefront of trade speculation this entire offseason. While his ability on the court is undeniable, the Pelicans have been reported to be wary of his health, given his injury history with the organization. With the rest of the roster filled out very nicely, boasting stars such as Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans are believed to be looking for a win-now star rather than relying on the health of the 23-year-old.


Pairing Williamson with Doncic seems like a great idea for the Mavericks, as they are both only one year apart in age, and their development can coincide with each other as the Mavericks pursue their championship aspirations. While his statistics are similar to Irving's this season, it could prove useful to have another star who is not in the guard position with Doncic, as it will give the Mavericks more opportunities for mismatches against different opponents.


Karl-Anthony Towns/Rudy Gobert

Towns and Gobert are currently playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and with backup center Naz Reid, they are consuming over half of the entire team's salary cap. They are expected to be deep within the luxury tax limits and have been reportedly willing to offload one of their All-Star centers this season.

Looking at the 2024-2025 projected salary cap and the Minnesota Timberwolves situation. #raisedbywolves pic.twitter.com/0eWX6esGnI— Deee Black (@Deee_Black_) October 13, 2023

Timberwolves current cap sheet, using the new salary cap figures.

- Karl-Anthony Towns' supermax extension (which he is currently eligible to be offered): 4 years, $213,669,792
- Anthony Edwards max extension (eligible to be offered in 12 months): 5 years, $197,590,050 pic.twitter.com/e6rTu8vrj9— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) July 1, 2022

Towns is the more likely of the two to be traded, as he has a wider skill set than Gobert, contributing on both offense and defense. His shooting among centers is second to none, making him highly valuable to any modern team. Additionally, he is the younger of the two, making more teams willing to acquire Towns than his aging counterpart.

Despite Towns' abilities, Gobert may actually be a better fit for Dallas. He is known as a specialist on defense, having won multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards and a rebounding title. Defense and rebounding are the two areas where the current Mavericks roster struggles the most, and Gobert would definitely bolster that. He also has experience playing with a star guard, as during his tenure with the Utah Jazz, Gobert was paired with Donovan Mitchell, and together, they even managed to earn the number 1 seed in 2021.

OG Anunoby

OG is another young rising star who could be paired with Doncic for years to come if a trade is made. Anunoby is a completely different style of player compared to Doncic and may be a perfect pairing. Although Luka is one of the best superstars in the NBA, with ESPN ranking him in the top 10, he doesn't excel on the defensive side of the ball. This is where Anunoby can demonstrate his worth, as he was named to the All-NBA Defensive 2nd Team last year and has proven to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

In addition to his defensive prowess, he can also contribute on offense, unlike Gobert, and his shooting ability will help open up the defense for Doncic to attack. OG may not be an elite shooter, but he is currently making around 2.3 three-pointers this season. With an elite facilitator like Doncic, it's likely this number would only improve if he were traded to Dallas.


Tobias Harris

Harris has gone under the radar in recent years, primarily due to playing in the shadows of stars like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and the recently traded James Harden. However, during this time, Harris has proven to be one of the most reliable role players in the NBA and has demonstrated his ability to play alongside stars.

Shooting 38.9% from 3 last season and averaging 14.7 points, Harris has shown himself to be a more than capable scorer and can provide some relief for Luka, as he is capable of creating his own shots. The acquisition of Harris will also benefit current Maverick Josh Green, who will be able to transition from a wing to his more natural position at shooting guard.


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The Smoking Cuban