A proposed three-team deal would send Kyrie Irving to Detroit, but the real tension in this idea starts with Dallas. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes laid out a trade framework involving the Pistons, Mavericks, and Hawks, and the headline is simple enough: Detroit gets two major backcourt additions, Atlanta loads up on draft capital, and Dallas is asked to part with Irving without getting a single outright first-round pick in return.
Here’s how the proposal breaks down:
Detroit Pistons receive: Kyrie Irving, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Dallas Mavericks receive: Ron Holland II, Kevin Huerter, Jock Landale, Isaiah Joe, 2029 Detroit Pistons first-round pick swap, 2031 Detroit Pistons first-round pick swap
Atlanta Hawks receive: John Collins, Duncan Robinson, 2028 Detroit Pistons first-round pick, 2030 Detroit Pistons first-round pick, 2032 Detroit Pistons first-round pick
For Detroit, the fit is easy to see. Irving would take pressure off Cade Cunningham, and Alexander-Walker would bring shooting and perimeter defense without needing the offense to run through him. The idea is that Cunningham wouldn’t have to carry every tough possession if another elite ball-handler was sharing the floor with him.
Irving’s numbers help explain why Detroit would be tempted. He is averaging 21.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field and 39.0% from three-point range.
He is in the second season of his three-year, approximately $118 million contract, earning $39.4 million this season with a $42.4 million player option next season. That option adds uncertainty, especially with his age and recent ACL recovery.
Alexander-Walker has been productive as well, averaging 21.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 43.8% overall and 40.3% from three. His four-year, $60.6 million contract is also team-friendly in this context, with $14.4 million this season, $15.1 million next season, and a $15.9 million player option for 2028-29.
Detroit would have to give up real future flexibility to make it happen, but the upside is obvious. A closing group of Cunningham, Irving, Alexander-Walker, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren would give the Pistons a mix of creation, defense, and finishing that would look awfully serious in a playoff series.
Dallas is the part of this proposal that doesn’t hold up nearly as well. The Mavericks do get several useful pieces, starting with Holland, who is averaging 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 41.0% from the field and 29.4% from three. He is on a rookie deal worth approximately $9.0 million this season, with an $11.4 million team option next season.
Huerter would add another perimeter option. He is averaging 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 39.0% overall and 50.0% from three. His three-year, approximately $27 million contract pays $9.5 million this season, $8.7 million next season, and includes an $8.7 million team option for 2028-29.
Landale brings interior depth, averaging 6.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 44.7% shooting. His one-year, $14 million deal would function as an expiring salary.
Joe is averaging 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 36.8% overall and 23.1% from three. His four-year, $48 million contract pays approximately $11.3 million this season, with an $11.3 million option next season.
Even with that group in hand, the draft return is the sticking point. Dallas would get two swaps, not outright first-round picks, and that’s a major difference.
Swaps only matter if the Mavericks are positioned to benefit from exchanging places, and that’s a thin return for a player like Irving. The source of the idea also notes Tim MacMahon recently highlighted Irving’s chemistry with Flagg and his importance to the locker room, which only makes the proposed package look lighter.
Atlanta, on the other hand, would be getting the best draft haul in the deal. Collins is averaging 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 42.4% overall and 35.0% from three, and his three-year, $51 million contract carries annual salaries of $17 million. Robinson is producing 17.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.6% from the field and 45.2% from three on a three-year, $47.9 million deal that pays approximately $15.9 million this season and $15.1 million next season.
The Hawks would also get three unprotected first-round picks, which gives them plenty of ammunition for another move down the line. Losing Alexander-Walker would sting, but that kind of return would at least force a serious conversation.
Still, this looks like the kind of trade that lives on paper and nowhere else. The Mavericks have already turned away interest in Irving, and this proposal doesn’t give them enough reason to change course.
Detroit’s offer is built around swaps, not premium first-rounders, and Dallas would be giving up scoring and leadership without landing a premium young centerpiece in return. Atlanta gets the cleanest asset package of the three, and that imbalance may be exactly why this deal never gets off the ground.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Got An Unwanted Look At Indianas Next Problem
The Hawks got a long look at Braden Smith on a night when Indiana was stretched thin, and the rookie guard handled the opportunity like someone who had been waiting for it. In his first NBA start, Smith logged heavy minutes and kept the Pacers organized, showing the kind of poise and pace that can change a game even when a roster is short-handed.
Smith finished with 19 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals, then drew strong praise from Rick Carlisle for both his performance and his conditioning. For Atlanta, it was a reminder that even in an injury-ravaged lineup, Indiana can still uncover another guard worth tracking, especially one who already sounds comfortable with the challenge of adjusting from college to the league and competing against top defenders. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Big Deadline Decision In The Frontcourt
Frontcourt injuries have left Atlanta looking around for help, and the timing could hardly be more interesting. The Hawks have already explored ways to improve the roster, and now a potentially major name has surfaced on the market: ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Domantas Sabonis wants to leave Sacramento, with the Kings open to trading him.
Atlanta has not been linked to Sabonis specifically, but his availability would at least force a hard look at a position of need. Any pursuit would come with real complications, from the financial lift to the ripple effect on Onyeka Okongwu's role, and the Hawks would also have to weigh whether the fit makes sense on the defensive end. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Already Have A Nickeil Alexander-Walker Problem They Need
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been one of the early bright spots for Atlanta through eight games, giving the Hawks a steady scoring punch while the rest of the offense finds its footing. With the team sitting at 4-4, his production has mattered a lot more than anyone probably expected, especially for a group still sorting out how the scoring load will be divided.
The bigger question is how long Atlanta can keep leaning on him this heavily. Alexander-Walker has helped keep the Hawks afloat, but the late-game decision-making has already become part of the conversation, and the team would like to see other options emerge so he is not forced into so many difficult possessions when the game tightens up. [Read more 🡒]