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Nets trade Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris to Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving along with forward/center Markieff Morris in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks.

“We’re excited to add Spencer and Dorian to our roster, while also securing draft compensation that will increase our flexibility moving forward,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “Spencer is a dynamic, multi-talented guard who we are very familiar with from his previous stint in Brooklyn. Dorian is an experienced wing who brings perimeter shooting and defensive versatility to our group. Together, the two players will fit seamlessly with our roster and provide the team with proven veteran talent.”

Irving (6-2, 191) holds career averages of 23.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 34.2 minutes in 651 games (all starts) with Cleveland, Boston and Brooklyn. He has shot 47.1% (5,582-11,853 FG) from the floor, 39.1% (1,501-3,835 3FG) from 3-point range and 88.2% (2,508-of-2,842) from the foul line for his career. Irving has appeared in 40 games (all starts) for the Nets this season and is averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 36.9 minutes.

Irving is one of seven players averaging 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 2022-23. Among 40 players using two-or-more iso possessions/game, Irving’s 1.28 points/possession lead the NBA and are the highest for any player (min. 2.0 iso possessions/game) since the statistic was first tracked in 2015-16.

Upon the conclusion of the 2020-21 regular season, Irving became the ninth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club after shooting 50.6% from the field, 40.2% from 3-point range and 92.2% from the free throw line. Irving became only the fourth player to average over 25.0 points while making the 50-40-90 club, joining Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Larry Bird.

The 30-year-old is an eight-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection and helped Cleveland to their lone NBA Championship in 2016. Selected as a starter for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Irving has been an All-Star starter in each of the last five All-Star games in which he has played (2017-19, 2021 and 2023) and was named the All-Star Game MVP in 2014.

Irving was selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after a season at Duke University, where he averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in 11 games. As a high school senior at St. Patrick High School (NJ) in 2010, Irving was named a McDonald’s All-American, was selected to the First Team All-America by Parade Magazine and USA Today, and was named a finalist for the Naismith High School Player of the Year.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, while his father was playing professional basketball for the Bulleen Boomers, Irving moved to the United States when he was two years old. He elected to represent the United States national team and helped the Americans win a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. With the win, Irving became just the fourth member of Team USA to capture the NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, joining LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.

Irving’s community work includes his KAI Family Enterprise, which seeks to uplift underrepresented entrepreneurs and businesses that do not have access to proper guidance in the business world. Amongst his philanthropic endeavors, Irving has donated $1.5 million to help cover the salaries of WNBA players who opted out of the 2020 season during the COVID-19 pandemic, paid off the tuition for nine students at HBCU Lincoln University, gave $323,000 to Feeding America during the COVID-19 pandemic, and partnered with City Harvest to donate 250,000 meals across the New York area.

Irving will wear No. 2 for the Mavericks.

Morris (6-9, 250) holds career averages of 10.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 24.3 minutes over 742 games (377 starts) with Phoenix, Washington, Oklahoma City, Detroit, the L.A. Lakers, Miami and Brooklyn. He has shot 44.6% (3,051-6,844 FG) from the field, 34.2% (627-1,831 3FG) from beyond the arc and 77.8% (1,189-1,528 FT) from the free throw line in his career. Morris appeared in 27 games for the Nets in 2022-23 and averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes.

Selected 13th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Suns, the University of Kansas product won an NBA Championship in 2020 with the Lakers. He averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 18.4 minutes per game in 21 games (2 starts) during the Lakers’ postseason run.

In the community, Markieff and his twin brother, Marcus, started the Family Over Everything Foundation to provide support and guidance that helps alleviate the burdens, financial and otherwise, faced by many single parents, families in underserved communities, and at-risk members of society.

Morris will wear No. 13 for the Mavericks.

Dinwiddie (6-5, 215) was acquired by Dallas along with Dāvis Bertāns from the Washington Wizards on Feb. 10, 2022, in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis and a protected second-round pick. Over his two partial seasons with the Mavericks, Dinwiddie averaged 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 32.3 minutes per game over 76 games (60 starts).

Finney-Smith (6-7, 220) went undrafted in 2016 but signed with Dallas as a free agent on July 8, 2016. He was re-signed in July 2019, and then signed a contract extension with the Mavericks on Feb. 12, 2022. During his seven seasons with Dallas, Finney-Smith averaged 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 27.8 minutes over 434 games (322 starts).

Mavericks sign Chris Silva to 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Chris Silva to a 10-day contract.

Silva (6-8, 234) joins Dallas after beginning the year with the G League’s College Park Skyhawks, where he averaged 14.2 points (.586 FG%, .781 FT%), 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 blocks and 22.4 minutes in 11 regular-season games (10 starts) with the club.

Silva went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft and began his career with the Miami Heat on a Two-Way contract in 2019-20. Silva appeared in 69 NBA games with Miami, Sacramento and Minnesota from 2019-20 to 2021-22, averaging 2.8 points (.606 FG%) and 2.7 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game.

The Libreville, Gabon native was a four-year player at South Carolina, where he increased his scoring average across all four seasons, from 5.4 ppg as a freshman in 2015-16 to 15.2 ppg as a senior in 2018-19. He started all 37 games for the Gamecocks’ Final Four team in 2017 and was selected as a member of the First Team All-SEC team in 2018, in addition to earning SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors that same year.

While at South Carolina, Silva shared the floor with current Mavericks Two-Way player AJ Lawson in the 2018-19 season, when Silva was a senior and Lawson was a freshman for the Gamecocks. The duo also shared the floor with College Park in the G League earlier this season.

Silva is only the second player from Gabon to play in the NBA, joining Stephane Lasme who suited up in 16 career NBA games for Miami and Golden State. Silva’s father was a 6-11 center on the Gabonese national team and his mother was a track star. Silva attended Roselle Catholic High School in New Jersey, where he helped the Lions to a state championship as a senior.

Silva will wear No. 30 for the Mavericks.

Mavericks forward Christian Wood out with thumb fracture

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that forward Christian Wood has sustained a fracture of his left thumb. The injury occurred in the second quarter of last night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Wood will be re-evaluated next week.

Per ESPN.com, “Wood, a summer trade acquisition who opened the season as a sixth man but has been starting at center over the past month, ranks second on for Dallas behind superstar Luka Doncic in scoring (18.4 points per game) and rebounding (8.4).”

Mavericks waive Kemba Walker

The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard Kemba Walker.

Walker (6-0, 184) signed with the Mavericks on Nov. 29, 2022, and played in nine games (1 start) for Dallas with averages of 8.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 16.0 minutes per game. In his start at Cleveland on Dec. 17, 2022, Walker scored a season-high 32 points with five rebounds and seven assists.

Per the Dallas Morning News, “a Mavericks person with knowledge of the situation cited the development of rookie Jaden Hardy and play of McKinley Wright the IV as part of the decision to waive Walker.”

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic named NBA Western Conference Player of Month for Dec. 2022

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has been named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for games played in December, marking the third time in his career he has received the honor (November 2019, February 2022). Dirk Nowitzki (6) is the only other Maverick to win the award multiple times.

Dončić (6-7, 230) averaged 35.1 points (.519 FG%, .424 3FG%), 8.5 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 36.3 minutes in 15 games in December. It marked the highest-scoring month in franchise history (min. 10 games played) and the Mavericks went 11-4 in his 15 appearances during the month (11-6 overall).

The reigning two-time Western Conference Player of the Week scored 30-plus points in 12 of his 15 games in December, including 50-plus points on three occasions. Dončić also notched three of his eight triple-doubles during the month.

The three-time All-Star registered a game-high 50 points (17-30 FG, 6-12 3FG, 10-12 FT) to go along with a team-high eight rebounds, a game-high 10 assists and a game-high-tying three steals in 42 minutes in Dallas’ 112-106 win at Houston on Dec. 23. Dončić became the fourth player in NBA history (since steals were first recorded in 1973-74) to total at least 50 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and three steals in a game, joining James Harden (twice), LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

Dončić tallied a career-high 60 points (21-31 FG, 2-6 3FG, 16-22 FT) to go along with a career-high 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and one block in a career-high 47 minutes in Dallas’ 126-121 come-from-behind win over New York on Dec. 27. Dončić became the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double and the second player to post a 60-point triple-double of any kind (Harden, 60 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, vs. Orlando, Jan. 30, 2018). His 60 points also set a new franchise record (previous: 53, Dirk Nowitzki, vs. Houston, Dec. 2, 2004, OT).

The 23-year-old closed out the 2022 calendar year by tallying a game-high 51 points (18-29 FG, 6-10 3FG), including 30 in the first half (22 in the first quarter), to go along with six rebounds, a game-high nine assists, a season-high-tying four steals and one block in 37 minutes in the Mavericks’ 126-125 victory at San Antonio on Dec. 31. He had 42 points through three quarters, breaking a tie with Mark Aguirre (22) for the most 40-point games in franchise history.

Dončić netted 50-plus points three times over his final five games in December, totaling 228 points, 56 boards and 51 assists over that five-game stretch (Dec. 23 to 31). He became the first player in NBA history to total 225-plus points, 50-plus rebounds and 50-plus assists over any five-game run. Dončić also became the first player to record three 50-point games over a five-game span since Harden in January 2019.

For the season, Dončić is averaging a league-high 34.3 points, 8.8 rebounds (22nd in the NBA), 8.9 assists (4th in the NBA) and 1.7 steals (6th in the NBA) in 35 games (all starts).

Dončić has totaled 292 points, 77 rebounds and 69 assists during the Mavericks’ current seven-game win streak (41.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 9.0 apg since Dec. 21), which is their longest win streak since their championship season in 2010-11. He is the first player in league history to record 290-plus points, 70-plus rebounds and 60-plus assists over any seven-game stretch.

Mavericks sign AJ Lawson to a two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard AJ Lawson to a two-way contract.

And in a related move, the Mavericks have also requested waivers on two-way guard Tyler Dorsey.

Lawson (6-6, 224) joins Dallas after beginning the season with the G League’s College Park Skyhawks and Iowa Wolves, where he averaged 19.9 points (.527 FG%), 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 33.5 minutes in 13 total games (all starts). Lawson also made his NBA debut while on a Two-Way contract for the Timberwolves in 2022-23 and recorded two points (1-1 FG) and one board in 2 minutes at Orlando on Nov. 16.

The 22-year-old started all five games for the Mavericks at the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging a team-high 15.6 points (.519 FG%, .500 3FG%, .846 FT%), 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes. He signed a Two-Way deal with Minnesota on July 26 before being waived by the franchise on Oct. 14 and joining the Skyhawks for the start of the 2022-23 season. Lawson signed another Two-Way contract with the Timberwolves on Nov. 15 but was again waived by the club on Dec. 7 and returned to College Park.

After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, Lawson signed with College Park on Sept. 22, 2021, and averaged 11.8 points (.481 FG%), 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.8 minutes in 33 games (26 starts) for the Skyhawks during the 2021-22 campaign. The Toronto native later signed with the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League on April 26, 2022, and averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 30.5 minutes in 10 games (all starts) for the club.

Lawson was a three-year player at the University of South Carolina, where he totaled 1,153 points, 325 rebounds, 167 assists and 101 steals in 81 games (80 starts) for the Gamecocks. He earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2018-19 (13.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.1 spg) and Second Team All-SEC accolades as a junior in 2020-21 (16.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.5 spg).

Lawson will wear No. 9 for the Mavericks.

Dorsey (6-5, 183) signed a Two-Way deal with Dallas on July 23 and appeared in three games with the Mavericks. He recorded nine points (4-4 FG, 1-1 3FG) and two boards in his Mavericks debut against Memphis on Oct. 22.

Dorsey also saw action in 16 games (all starts) for the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, and averaged 24.2 points (4th in the G League), 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.5 minutes while shooting 45.6% (115-252 FG) from the field, 45.7% (58-127 3FG) from beyond the arc and 84.0% (63-75 FT) from the foul line.

Dallas Mavericks unveil Dirk Nowitzki statue outside arena

Via the Forth Worth Star-Telegram:

The Dallas Mavericks unveiled a statue to honor Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki prior to their game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Nowitzki statue depicts his famous one-legged jumper, a shot that changed the game. He was a unicorn when he got to the U.S.; a 7-footer who could shoot, pass and dribble and wasn’t just a back-to-the-basket guy. Now, those skills aren’t rare to see in big men. They’re basically required.

The The tributes for Notwitzki officially started in 2019 with Dirk Nowitzki Way, a street that was renamed in Dallas to honor the greatest Mavericks player of all time. Then in January, the Mavs retired his No. 41 jersey. Then in September, Germany retired the No. 14 jersey he wore for his country.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd fined by NBA

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been fined $25,000 for coming onto the court to confront and direct inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Kidd was assessed two technical fouls and ejected, occurred with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter of the Mavericks’ 116-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 19 at Target Center.