Mavericks Klay Thompson on left shooting a basketball. Mavericks Luka Doncic on right passing a basketball. Mavericks Kyrie Irving in front looking serious.
The Dallas Mavericks acquired Klay Thompson via a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors in July. Thompson wanted a fresh start and Dallas needed another reliable three-point shooting threat. The fit makes plenty of sense. But will the addition of Thompson significantly impact a Mavericks superstar?
We all know that Luka Doncic is a perennial MVP candidate. He finished third in MVP voting during the 2023-24 season and will likely win an MVP award sooner rather than later.
What about Kyrie Irving, though? He has often been the second-best player on teams throughout his career. Irving played a pivotal role in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2016 championship while LeBron James led the way. Kyrie was a terrific secondary option for Dallas behind Doncic amid the Mavs’ 2024 NBA Finals run.
He has never been an MVP, though. In fact, Kyrie surprisingly has not even received much MVP consideration during his career. So is there reason to believe that at 32 years old Irving can finally enter the MVP conversation?
Again, Doncic will have the best odds of any Mavs player to win the MVP. But with Klay Thompson now on the roster, perhaps Irving will at least receive a few votes.
The addition of Thompson will give defenses something else to think about when playing against the Mavs. Thompson’s defender will need to live on the perimeter while closely guarding him.
PJ Washington is also a capable three-point shooter. He will be guarded on the perimeter as well. Meanwhile, Doncic and either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford will start along with Irving.
Doncic and Irving were double-teamed quite frequently at times this past season. Again, though, Doncic is arguably the best player in the NBA so he will command the most attention while on the floor. With the potential of Doncic being double-teamed and a defender locked in on Thompson, Kyrie will need to be more aggressive from an offensive standpoint in 2024-25.
Irving played well this past season but there were times where he was not quite as aggressive on the offensive end of the floor. According to Basketball Reference, the Mavericks guard still averaged 19.5 field goal attempts and 7.3 three-point attempts per outing.
Still, Irving should receive more open looks in 2024-25. The Mavericks did not have Klay Thompson last year so defenses were able to primarily focus on Irving and Doncic. That will not be the case as although Thompson is not the same player he once was, he is still someone that cannot be left with any space.
It should be noted that Irving underwent surgery after suffering a broken left hand while training in the offseason. As long as injuries do not limit Kyrie during the upcoming campaign, he will have an opportunity to play at an especially high level.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (left) and center Al Horford (right) during the second quarter in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
It does not happen often, but it is possible for teammates to both earn MVP votes. If Doncic and Irving both stay healthy in 2024-25 then Luka will likely finish at or near the top of MVP voting. Irving may be able to earn votes if Thompson’s presence benefits him like I believe it can.
Irving averaged just under 26 points per game in 2023-24. If he can average around 27-28 while recording efficient shooting percentages and making plays for others, Irving will emerge as a possible MVP candidate. Of course, both Doncic and Irving’s potential MVP arguments will be helped by the Mavericks finishing at or near the top of the Western Conference.
Nothing is guaranteed heading into 2024-25 but Kyrie Irving will be an intriguing player to closely follow all season long.