OKLAHOMA CITY — Kyrie Irving threw sarcastic shade at his former Nets team when he proclaimed the Mavericks didn’t just win the swap that brought him to Dallas, but got the best deal in the entire NBA.
It was a blockbuster that really was the beginning of the end for Brooklyn’s Big 3 at the 2023 trade deadline.
Though the Nets have taken the high road in the aftermath of what was an acrimonious divorce, the All-Star point guard took a shot at his former team.
“Best trade in the business, baby. We won that trade!” Irving said Friday night after the Mavericks beat the Thunder, 106-98, then repeated for emphasis, “We won that trade! I was bad goods.”
The Nets were 31-20 when Irving demanded a trade on Feb. 3, 2023.
The relationship between player and team had frayed over several events, from Irving missing two-thirds of the 2021-22 season due to his refusal to adhere to New York City’s COVID vaccine mandates to his promotion of an antisemitic video.
James Harden eventually tired of Irving and forced his way out at the 2022 trade deadline. And after the Nets and Irving failed to agree on a contract extension, Irving eventually demanded out the next year.
Once the Nets traded Irving for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a first-round pick and two seconds, Kevin Durant was left as the last star standing and requested a trade shortly thereafter.
The Big 3 era was dead. And after treading water last season, the Nets are now onto a rebuilding era.
Irving is playing alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas and the Mavericks are 23-19.
Brooklyn is 14-28 with the seventh-worst record in the NBA, though they do have the most projected cap space ($65 million) and first-round picks (15) in the league, including four in June’s loaded draft.
From the sounds of it, both sides may be happier in this divorce.
