Phoenix Suns help send Kyrie Irving to Dallas Mavericks, get James Johnson and Jalen Brunson
Playing as a point guard, but with the Mavericks running their offense through Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson finds himself under odd circumstances in Dallas right now. Currently averaging career highs with14.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game, he looks terribly undervalued out there, and makes for a fantastic upgrade from Elfird Payton.
As for James Johnson, he also looks underutilized with the Nets, making him an easy player for them to send packing. Although he will not play an expanded role with the Suns either, he adds some more muscle off the bench. He signed with Brooklyn just this summer though, so this trade would not be possible until mid-December.
For well over a year now, mock trades have tied Kristaps Porzingis to the Brooklyn Nets. Dallas apparently tried shopping him last year but to no avail. With him struggling to stay healthy once again though, it makes sense for them to try sending him away once more.
A front court featuring him and Durant makes Brooklyn’s floor spacing terrifying for opposing defenses, and he helps fill those same persisting gaps for the Nets at the center spot. The Nets can also better deal with his shaky injury history, possessing far more depth than Dallas.
This deal brings Porzingis back to New York City as well, where he started his career and became a true star. Payton also returns to the big apple, helping to take a few minutes of ball-handling pressure off Harden’s hands each night.
Sending Irving to Dallas upgrades their offense exponentially. The artistry between him and Doncic already feels breathtaking just to imagine. Also with Texas being the least likely state to ever enforce a vaccine mandate, the Mavericks represent the safest team for him to land with. Additionally, Saric heads out as an asset with similar traits to Porzingis, making him already compatible with Dallas’s offensive and defensive schemes.