Why The San Antonio Spurs Do The Deal?

There are concerns about Irving that extend off of the court. He’s a potentially volatile personality. Often, the Spurs avoid such players. Should they make an exception here?

They’d have to consider it. The Spurs would be making a massive talent upgrade here. With Irving on the roster, they should be a playoff team. Wembanyama has been developing rapidly as a rookie – by next year, he could easily be a top-10 player. Meanwhile, the Spurs can afford to lose Johnson. Devin Vassell plays a very similar role. The Spurs could take a major step forward with this deal.

Why The Dallas Mavericks Do The Deal?

If the Mavericks decide to move Irving this summer, they’ll have to thread a difficult needle. They can’t afford to simply offload Irving for draft capital. The Mavericks need to stay relevant or they’ll run the risk of a Doncic trade request.

This deal aims to thread that needle. Johnson is a very good player. He may also be a better complement for Doncic. Johnson is a shot creator who’s comfortable off the ball, and a better defender than Irving. Yet, Irving is the best player in this deal. So, we’ve got the Mavericks picking up an unprotected first in this deal as well. That could help them build around their new star duo.