The Miami Heat tried to acquire All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, according to Shams Charania.
The Nets, though, wound up trading Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, who missed the play-in tournament this year despite having Irving and superstar point-forward Luka Doncic.
The Heat are expected to pursue Irving this offseason when the Duke product becomes an unrestricted free agent. Miami small forward Jimmy Butler has a close relationship with Irving.
The 31-year-old Irving is one of the best players in the NBA. He averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists with the Nets and Mavericks in 2022-23 while shooting 49.4% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 90.5% from the free-throw line.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets & Miami Heat Updates
The Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals in five games. Miami is 0-2 in the Finals in the Butler era, which began in 2019-20. The Heat lost to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 Finals at the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando, Florida.
Irving has career averages of 23.4 points, 3.9 boards and 5.7 assists with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Nets and Mavericks. Dallas can offer the former Rookie of the Year the most money in free agency. If the NBA operates under a $134 million salary cap, Irving would be eligible to re-sign with the Mavericks on a five-year, $272 million max contract.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets & Miami Heat Updates
It’s going to be fascinating to see what the Heat do this offseason. Most people around the league expect Pat Riley to be very aggressive in free agency and on the trade market. Since Irving and Butler are close friends and Miami is a popular place to live, the Heat could be a dark horse threat to steal Uncle Drew from Dallas.
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