3 Ripple Effects of Kyrie Irving Trade on the Golden State Warriors

Less than 24 hours after losing to the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, the Dallas Mavericks have made a seismic move by trading for wantaway Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. The eight-time All-Star expressed his desire to leave the Nets ahead of the deadline, with the Mavericks pouncing to pair Irving with MVP candidate Luka Doncic.

The deal sees Dallas get Irving and Markieff Morris for Mavericks’ pair Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, along with an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and two second-round picks in 2027 and 2029. Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie had combined for 43 points and 13 rebounds in the Mavericks’ 119-113 loss to the Warriors.

Kyrie Irving’s trade to the Dallas Mavericks will have ripple effects for the Golden State Warriors and other contending teams around the NBA.

The fact the 30-year-old has been dealt now gives other teams a chance to assess their own situation and still make moves over the next few days if necessary. Here is three ways in which the Irving trade could have ripple effects on the Warriors, both from an on-court and off-court perspective.

1. Warriors will meet Irving more than ever.

After stints in Cleveland, Boston and Brooklyn, Irving joins the Western Conference for the first time in his career. It means Golden State will face him on the floor more during the regular season, and are much more likely to meet him in a playoff matchup. The two teams are scheduled to play once more in Dallas on March 22.

The Warriors are well aware of Irving’s exploits on the floor, perhaps most famously with his historic three-point shot over Stephen Curry in the final minute of the 2016 NBA Finals. Even more recently though, Irving led Brooklyn to a surprise win over Golden State at Chase Center less than three weeks ago.

2. Does Dallas’ big play force Warriors’ hand on making their own move?

The West is heating up and there’s no doubt that Dallas, despite an average 28-26 record, believe that the parity in the conference could give them a big opportunity to go a step further than last season.

Teams’ trade maneuvers often come from what’s happening around the league — the reason Golden State are likely to do nothing is because they’re not afraid of any roster currently compiled in the West.

While the loss of Finney-Smith will hurt the Mavericks defensively, Irving will bring a star power that should make them a far greater threat than what they were. Does Dallas’ acquisition of Irving place greater pressure on Bob Myers’ and the Warriors’ front office to make their own move, even if it’s at a much smaller scale?

3. Warriors to monitor Kevin Durant situation.

From the outset of Irving’s trade request, the biggest ripple effect surrounded how a trade would impact Kevin Durant’s future with the Nets. Now that’s officially materialised, speculation about the two-time Finals MVP’s future will only heighten.

As outlined earlier in the week, the Warriors would be well placed to reunite with Durant if he were to become available during the offseason. That prospect could influence how Golden State manage their young assets over the coming days before the deadline.