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NBA star Kyrie Irving was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks. In return, the Nets received a selection of future draft picks and two players including Spencer Dinwiddie, and former Gator Dorian Finney-Smith.
The Trade
The trade comes after Irving reportedly requested a trade on Saturday.
On top of the two players, the Mavericks obtained unprotected 2029 first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks in 2027 and 2029.
This season, Irving has averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. Adding Irving to the talented Dallas lineup is expected to stir up fear in the Western Conference.
Irving left the side of 34-year-old Kevin Durant in Brooklyn to now line up next to Dallas talent Luka Doncic. Doncic has averaged 33.4 points per game and leads the league in points.
The Maverick sit at a 28-26 record, which puts them at sixth in the Western Conference. Brooklyn is currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 32-20 record.
The Doncic-Irving pairing brings a new dynamic to the Western Conference and the league as a whole.
Breaking: Kyrie Irving is being traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick and second-round picks to the Nets, sources told @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/zyRd4VulBw
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2023
Gator Roots
Dorian Finney-Smith, 29, played basketball at the University of Florida from 2012 to 2016 after transferring from Virginia Tech. In his tenure as a Gator, Finney-Smith racked up 1,220 career points and led the team in scoring in both the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Finney-Smith went undrafted and signed with the Mavericks in 2016.
In his 2022-2023 run so far, Finney-Smith has averaged 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, one steal, and 1.5 assists per game.
The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Finney-Smith can play either forward position. He also received a 15 percent trade kicker through the deal.
Finney-Smith was a reliable player to step in for the Maverick and without Irving, could find an opportunity in Brooklyn with the Nets.
I’ve got a feeling that we’re going to like Dorian Finney-Smith a lot in Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/rXZhXBc7MI
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) February 6, 2023
