Former 76ers Rival Kyrie Irving Wants Another NBA Superteam

The Dallas Mavericks want to become the NBA's next superteam.

Is another NBA superteam in the works? According to a recent report from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, that might be the case out the West.

Just two seasons ago, one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ most notable competitors, the Brooklyn Nets, possessed the most popular trio in the league. After Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signed on with the Nets via free agency in 2019, Brooklyn went ahead and traded with the Houston Rockets to land James Harden in 2020.

When playing together as a unit, Brooklyn’s star trio flashed tons of potential. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stay healthy and on the court together. Fast forward to 2022, and the Nets broke up the trio rather quickly by trading Harden to the 76ers. In exchange, the Nets received the three-time All-Star Ben Simmons.

Three years into the Durant-Irving era, Brooklyn blew it up. Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Durant was moved to the Phoenix Suns. The Nets’ struggles to put it all together was just another example that simply plugging and playing with talented players doesn’t result in an automatic title.

But Kyrie Irving is reportedly willing to give it another try by reuniting with LeBron James. Not out West with the Los Angeles Lakers, though. Instead, Irving is reportedly interested in finding a way to lure James to Dallas to join the Mavericks for the 2023-2024 season.

“The Mavericks were preparing to make an offer for James last season when the Lakers were spiraling, sources say. But the Lakers made a string of trades near the deadline that changed the trajectory of their season. But any chance of forming a James-Irving-Doncic Big 3 under the NBA's strict new Collective Bargaining Agreement will be difficult. The new CBA resembles a hard cap, making it very difficult to have three max players on a roster. In order for Irving and James to partner with Doncic, the two would have to take a sizable pay cut.”

The Mavs’ attempt to make a notable run in the West by adding Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline last season turned out to be a total flop. While the duo of Irving and Luka Doncic flashed some potential, they struggled down the stretch of the season.

The Mavericks finished the 2022-2023 season with a 38-44 record. They placed 11th in the West, even missing the NBA Play-In Tournament. With Irving set to become a free agent, it was unclear whether or not he planned to return to Dallas. Since last summer, many have assumed that Irving could reunite with James but out in Los Angeles with the Lakers.

It seems the Mavericks are a team to watch for another potential NBA superteam, as Irving is showing interest in a potential return and would like to lure in James to join him.

Could The Sixers Disrupt?

Philadelphia has a key offseason approaching, with James Harden’s future remaining unclear. While Harden has a player option, he is expected to decline and become an unrestricted free agent for the second-straight summer. 

When Harden declined his player option with the Sixers last year, he was all but guaranteeing a return to Philadelphia.

This time around, nobody can be so sure. There is a possibility the Sixers lose Harden this time around, which would leave them void of a multi-time All-Star ball-handler. The next best option available on the open market could be Irving.

Could the Sixers get involved in the Irving sweepstakes to team him up with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid if Dallas can’t get the LeBron deal done? 

The chances are slim to none. Over the last few seasons, there have been many times Irving was a potential trade prospect out of Brooklyn. And even during the time the Sixers were short an All-Star ball-handler due to Ben Simmons’ holdout, it was clear that Philadelphia didn’t have the slightest interest in Irving.

If the eight-time All-Star decides that Dallas isn’t the place for him long-term, and the Lakers are no longer suitors for his services, it would be hard to imagine the Sixers would reach out.