Ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets.
Sending Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick in exchange for the eight-time All-Star, Dallas pairs Luka Doncic with another elite-level scorer, forming a new Western Conference powerhouse duo.
According to The Dallas Morning News, the Mavericks may not be done yet making moves, with potentially another deal to come before Thursday's deadline, but as it stands, the Mavericks have significantly raised their playoff ceiling by adding Irving to the backcourt, forming a lethal two-headed offense.
While Irving is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, if he and the Mavericks can't agree on an extension, the long-term value of the deal is still up in the air, but with Irving on deck, the Mavericks' title contention improves significantly this season.
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The domino effect of the deal which saw the Mavs lose two key role players, opens the door further down the rotation for others to step in and fill the void on the wing, most notably Australian guard/forward Josh Green.
In his third season, Green has quietly blossomed into a dynamic two-way threat, with his improved 3-point shooting earning him more minutes from head coach Jason Kidd.
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“Understanding Josh's work ethic, spending time with Josh here during practice and giving him a little bit more responsibility of playmaking and having the ball in his hands. He has responded in a positive way," Kidd said after last week's win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
"He’s worked extremely hard, we talked about that this summer. He gets hurt but I thought just his work ethic while he was hurt and then just showing that he hasn’t fallen off in a sense because of the injury. He’s still able to deliver, make plays for us."
✅ @JoshBGreen & the @dallasmavs hold on for a 111-106 win over the Pelicans #MFFL
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) February 3, 2023
📊 15 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL pic.twitter.com/SXMzJLzzG4
With Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith now in Brooklyn, the Mavericks are down a secondary ball handler and their best perimeter defender, opening the door for Green to take on more of a workload and potentially earn himself a spot in the starting lineup.
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | FG% | 3P% | |
| Dinwiddie | 17.7 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 0.7 | 45.5 | 40.5 |
| Finney-Smith | 9.1 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 41.6 | 35.5 |
With Doncic out of the game, Green has had his number called to handle playmaking responsibilities, much of which will be negated by Irving's presence, but it's the defensive side of the floor that will be the ultimate litmus test for Green.
Finney-Smith was Dallas' best perimeter defender, seamlessly guarding multiple positions and on a nightly basis, the opposing team's best perimeter threat.
Irving and Doncic aren't exactly known for their defense, so having a player like Green absorb some of Finney-Smith's 32 minutes a night gives the Mavericks more energy on the wing. Green has proven to be a more than capable one-on-one defender, aggressively contesting perimeter shots, hustling back in transition, and creating fastbreak opportunities with his active hands.
MORE: Dirk Nowitzki hails Josh Green's development — 'A dream for every coach'
Offensively, the Mavericks are already one of the slowest-paced teams in the league, ranking 29th and in a halfcourt setting with Doncic and Irving, Green will likely find more opportunities to score, using his speed and athleticism by cutting to the basket or spotting up from 3.
This season, all of Green's 3-point makes have been assisted, while he continues to improve shooting 3s from the corner, knocking down 42 percent on corner 3s, a similar rate to the season prior. However, Green has already knocked down more midway through 34 games this season (24) than he did in all of 2021-22 (22).
"I think it's always up and down with his shot and since his shot has now improved, I think he has more confidence," Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki said of Green in a recent interview with NBA Australia.
"I think the game has slowed down for him a little bit, he reads situations better, when to cut, when to play, when to go hard, when to settle down a little bit and he just gives it all out effort at all times.
"He always plays hard and he's just a dream for every coach and now his shot has gotten more consistent."
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No other shooting option on the Mavs offers the same combination of Green's athleticism in attacking the paint, halfcourt and transition defense, making the Aussie a potential big winner once the dust settles on the trade.
