Over two years ago, the Dallas Mavericks swung a blockbuster trade to land Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets, but Mavericks part-owner Mark Cuban says that it couldn’t have happened without a little bit of help.
In an interview with Semafor, Cuban detailed the role that current ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania played in the Mavericks’ acquisition of Irving.
“Shams was my guy,” Cuban said. “He was a big help with us getting Kyrie, and for us extending him when we extended, because he had a great relationship with Kyrie’s agent.”
So far, the trade for Irving has worked out for the Mavericks
Of course, that trade ended up paying off for the Mavericks. After missing the playoffs in 2023 — the season Irving was dealt to Dallas — Irving played a major role helping the team reach the NBA Finals alongside Luka Doncic, averaging 22.1 points per game in the playoffs that season. Earlier this offseason, Irving signed a three-year, $119 million extension to remain with the Mavericks.
In parts of three seasons with Dallas, Irving is averaging 25.5 points per game, shooting 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.
Irving — once he returns from his recovery from a torn ACL — will be a part of a Mavericks group next season that will be under rather lofty pressure after trading away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. He’ll play alongside Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and the first-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg.
