One situation that many Dallas Mavericks fans still find hard to accept is the Jalen Brunson free agency of summer 2022.
Brunson had just come off a remarkable playoff performance with the Mavericks, and although Dallas aimed to re-sign him, he chose to join the New York Knicks. The Mavericks lost Brunson without receiving anything in return, and he quickly emerged as a star in New York.
In his debut season with the Knicks, Brunson averaged 24 points per game. His scoring surged to 28.7 points per game in his second year, earning him his first NBA All-Star selection. Many Mavs supporters regret that Dallas didn’t extend Brunson during the regular season, but a recent report from an NBA insider might give fans pause.
How close was a Jalen Brunson-for-Kyrie Irving trade?
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, appearing on The Knicks Film School Podcast, suggested that even if Brunson had re-signed with the Mavericks, there was a strong possibility he might have been traded to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving the following season.
Dallas eventually traded for Irving, sending Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, and draft picks to the Nets. MacMahon speculates that trading Brunson for Irving might have allowed the Mavericks to retain Finney-Smith and possibly even a first-round pick.
Losing Finney-Smith was a tough blow for Mavs fans, given his significant contributions over his six and a half seasons with the team. Although keeping Finney-Smith would have been a big win for Dallas, MacMahon’s speculation suggests that Brunson could have been traded even if he had stayed with the Mavericks, pointing to Mark Cuban’s tendency to “chase stars.”
This perspective might ease the sting for some fans about losing Brunson, but it’s still hard to watch him thrive elsewhere, especially since the Mavericks had the chance to keep him.
Kyrie Irving has been impressive in Dallas, arguably even an upgrade over Brunson at this point. Last season, Irving averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, shooting 49.7% from the field and 41.1% from three-point range. His impact and leadership have been significant for the team over the past year and a half, and he seems well-suited for the Mavericks.
While it seems Irving was always destined to join Dallas, the idea of Brunson potentially ending up with the Nets is intriguing. The Knicks appear to be an ideal fit for Brunson, but it’s fascinating to consider how such a trade might have altered both the Mavericks’ and the Nets’ trajectories.
