The 2022-23 NBA season has seen many disappointments but none bigger than the Dallas Mavericks. Their season went from bad to worse, eventually failing to make the Play-In tournament. The much-talked-about trade of Kyrie Irving was a complete disaster for the team.
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Kyrie Irving was traded at the February deadline in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029. A move to take some load off their superstar Luka Doncic backfired for the Dallas team as they plummeted in the Western Conference standings.
To make matters worse, the Mavericks and in-extension Mark Cuban have been fined $750,000 for intentionally trying to finish in the bottom ten teams. This move ensured Mavericks retained its top 10 protected picks of the 2023 NBA draft. With so much going on in Dallas, a debate regarding Jalen Brunson has started again.
Skip Bayless asks Mavs fans about Jalen Brunson
The ‘Undisputed with Skip and Shannon’ shows co-host, Skip Bayless, is known for his controversial and sometimes over-the-line remarks. After the Game -1 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, Skip stirred the pot again with his tweet. Here is what he tweeted:
“MAVS FANS: Would you rather have Kyrie Irving … or Jalen Brunson??? Ask your owner. His fault.”
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 16, 2023
After Jalen Brunson’s stellar performance in Game 1, Skip addressed the Mavericks fans and asked a rhetorical question about his trade. With Brunson having 27 points while shooting 46% in the first playoff game as a Knicks, there is no sugar-coating that Dallas dropped the ball regarding retaining him.
If Mark Cuban would have provided Brunson an extension instead of waiting for free agency, the current Knicks star would have gladly accepted it. Instead, they allowed him to enter free agency and were unable to match the price offered by the New York Knicks. A price that many considered to be puffed, but Brunson has proved everyone wrong.
How did Irving and Brunson fare with the Dallas Mavericks?
Despite the losing record with the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving has played well in the short tenure. He is averaging 26.9 PPG while shooting a healthy 51% from the field. The performance, however, hasn’t translated to wins, with Dallas going 9-18 since the deadline. The percentages are even worse with both Kyrie and Luka on the floor.
Jalen Brunson was the perfect backup guard to Luka Doncic in his time with the Mavericks. The team has an overall 54.5% winning record with Jalen Brunson in the lineup, including an appearance in the 2022 Western Conference finals. His numbers may not be as good as Kyrie, but he was the perfect Robin to Luka’s Batman.
There is no debating the better player of the two, but there is an evident lack of chemistry between Kyrie and Doncic on the floor. It will be interesting to see if Dallas Mavericks can work things out or it will be a deja-vu for Mark Cuban, who made a similar mistake with Steve Nash.
