Kyrie Irving

Inside The Stunning Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis Trade

February 2nd, 2025 at 11:04am CST by Rory Maher

Luka Doncic “was completely floored” when he learned that he had been traded to the Lakers, league sources tell Dallas-based NBA insider Marc Stein (Substack link).

Stein reiterates that Doncic did not request to be traded and confirms reporting from ESPN that the Mavericks had reservations about giving the Slovenian star a five-year, super-max extension in the offseason due to his “conditioning, ability to stay healthy and his off-court commitments to those pursuits.”

In an appearance on SportsCenter last night (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst called the trade a “rebuke” of Doncic from the Mavericks’ perspective. While the primary focus from people around the league has been on Dallas’ end of the deal, Windhorst says LeBron James has “dreamed” of playing with Doncic, though it’s unclear how he feels about the move, given his close relationship with Anthony Davis.

As Stein writes, there had been whispers in the week leading up to perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history that the Mavs were on the verge of making a deal, but rival teams weren’t sure what they were planning. General manager Nico Harrison has a preexisting relationship with Davis and zeroed in on the 10-time All-Star as an ideal return package for Doncic.

According to Stein, Harrison “essentially” only had the Lakers in mind as a trade partner, in large part due to Davis. That choice of wording is interesting, because league sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that “at least one other team” was approached by Dallas nearly two weeks ago about the prospect of trading Doncic for a different star. That offer was declined.

Amick’s story has several sourced details, particularly from the Lakers’ end. According to Amick, Lakers leadership has grown weary of James and Davis’ continual public requests for more on-court help. Amick also hears Los Angeles had concerns about Davis’ “durability and availability and a belief that he could never truly be counted on as a top option” going forward.

In a fascinating interview with Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Harrison said he approached Lakers head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka more than a month ago to have “basketball” conversations. Harrison noted that the two have known each other for a couple of decades from their previous jobs, when Harrison was a Nike executive and Pelinka was a player agent.

“Then all of a sudden we’re like, ‘Would you ever do this?’

‘Nah, you’re joking, right?’

‘Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would.’

“And then it just built over time over the last three weeks,” Harrison told Townsend.

Harrison admitted Doncic’s contract situation was a primary motivating factor in making the trade. Doncic will no longer be eligible for an extension worth 35% of the salary cap this summer after being moved; the most he can make now is 30%.

“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the super-max and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”

He also said he hasn’t had direct communication with Doncic since the news broke, having talked to his agent Bill Duffy. His text and phone call to Doncic went unanswered, with Harrison telling Townsend, “My guess is he probably doesn’t want to talk to me.”

Davis has publicly said multiple times he views himself as more of a power forward rather than a center. Harrison told Townsend that while Davis will likely finish games in the middle, he will also play alongside Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively when the latter returns from an ankle fracture, pointing to Cleveland (Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen) as an example of a two-big pairing that has been successful.

Here’s more on the blockbuster trade:

James has a full no-trade clause, but both Stein and Amick write that the four-time MVP must be evaluating whether he’s still determined to finish his career in Los Angeles after the trade. According to Amick, there was an expectation that James would decline his $52.6MM player option for ’25/26 in the offseason to seek another contract, but it’s unclear if the Lakers would be willing to offer it.
Sources tell Stein (Twitter link) that the first time Harrison and Pelinka talked about trading Doncic for Davis was in person on January 7, when the Lakers were in Dallas to play the Mavs. League insider Chris Haynes hears the Lakers contacted Davis’ agent Rich Paul sometime after they heard the offer, viewing Doncic as a long-term replacement for James (Twitter video link).
After the trade was completed, Pelinka made three phone calls, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter links): the first was a joint call with Davis and head coach JJ Redick; the second a call to Paul; and the third to James. McMenamin also hears from sources that Davis chose to waive his trade kicker for multiple reasons, one being that he wants to sign an extension with Dallas in the future.
According to Stein, Doncic had been targeting February 8 as his return date from a left calf strain prior to the trade. The five-time All-NBA guard has been out with the injury since Christmas.
Doncic’s now-former teammate Kyrie Irving was also “stunned” by the deal that will send Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Both the Lakers and Mavericks are expected to continue to be active in trade talks leading up to Thursday’s deadline, according to Stein, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press and Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter links). “Everybody knows the Lakers are trying to do more even after this,” a source told Reynolds.
In a full story for The Athletic, Clark takes a look at Harrison’s history of making major roster moves at three consecutive deadlines. John Hollinger of The Athletic views the trade as a potential disaster for the Mavs, given the ages and injury histories of Irving and Davis. Hollinger also speculates that Doncic could sign a short-term extension with the Lakers in the offseason in order to maximize his future earnings, a possibility Bobby Marks of ESPN (YouTube link) discussed as well.
Mavs fans were understandably heartbroken by the trade, writes Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. “I’m hoping to wake up from a bad dream,” one fan said. “You have the most talented Mavericks team in Mavericks history and you have Luka right here. It’s like, ‘Boom.’ We just went to the finals, we finally get this team around him, it’s all right here, and then you trade him? It’s the biggest joke ever.”

And-Ones: All-Star Snubs, WNBA, Clark, Europe, Canales

January 31st, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Luke Adams

There weren’t enough backcourt spots to go around on this year’s All-Star teams, in the view of Marc J. Spears of Andscape, whose annual eight-man “All-Snub” team is made up of seven guards and one center.

Outside of big man Domantas Sabonis, the most glaring omissions from this year’s All-Star rosters were all guards, Spears writes, identifying Trae Young, LaMelo Ball, Zach LaVine, and Tyrese Maxey as four worthy All-Star candidates who didn’t make the cut in the Eastern Conference despite the fact that both Eastern wild card spots went to backcourt players.

Over in the West, Kyrie Irving, Devin Booker, and Norman Powell joined Sabonis as the players most deserving of All-Star recognition who weren’t among the 12 Western players chosen to participate in the game, according to Spears.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Several NBA team owners submitted bids for expansion WNBA franchises ahead of this week’s deadline. Vince Goodwill of Yahoo Sports says Pistons owner Tom Gores was among the owners to put in a bid, while Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter links) reports that the Sixers‘, Cavaliers‘, and Rockets‘ ownership groups also put forth formal bids. The new teams approved by the WNBA as a result of this round of bidding would begin play in 2028.
In other WNBA-related news, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has decided not to take part in a special three-point shooting challenge at the NBA’s All-Star weekend in February, per an ESPN report. There had been speculation that Clark could take part in a contest similar to last year’s Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu shootout, but she wants to compete in her first three-point contest at the WNBA’s All-Star weekend in Indianapolis later this year, according to her representatives at Excel Sports.
If the NBA moves forward with its plan to launch a new professional league in Europe, what will it look like? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has published an informative primer, while Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews has shared his latest reporting on the subject. Interestingly, Windhorst notes that commissioner Adam Silver and his top lieutenants are “deeply involved” in the European endeavor and wonders if the league’s focus on “NBA Europe” might further delay the timeline for expansion stateside.
Veteran NBA assistant and current Texas Legends associate head coach Kaleb Canales will be named head coach of the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). The CEBL season takes place during the NBA offseason, so Canales could rejoin an NBA staff for the 2025/26 season, Haynes notes.

Nets Notes: C. Johnson, Z. Williams, Evbuomwan, Irving

January 19th, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Rory Maher

The Nets aren’t sure if forward Cameron Johnson will be available for Sunday’s matchup in Oklahoma City, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has gone 0-9 this season without Johnson, who is officially listed as questionable for the contest as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain that has kept him on the sidelines for seven of the past eight games.

“It’s too early [to know] right now,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said about Johnson’s availability for Sunday. “He’s doing a great job with trying to get healthy and working every day and being around with the group.

“And that’s what we value the most, is his energy, his voice right now. And he still was doing his job [every] morning, and right now there’s no reason why we should make a decision, right? We want all our guys to be 100 percent healthy, to come back, and whenever the time comes, we will make a decision.”

According to Lewis, Johnson is the “most coveted player on the trade market right now,” but it’s certainly not a lock that he’ll be on the move by the February 6 deadline. Sources tell Lewis the Nets are reluctant to part with Johnson unless they receive two first-round picks or the equivalent in return, suggesting a talented young player on a team-friendly contract could be used in place of one of those first-rounders.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Fourth-year forward Ziaire Williams has drastically improved his outside shot of late, Lewis writes in another story for The Post. In his first 21 games prior to missing 12 contests with a knee injury, Williams had converted just 27.3% of his three-point attempts. However, in the nine games since he returned from the injury, he has converted an impressive 40.8% from long distance on significantly higher volume. “Yeah, man, shoot, they tell me constantly shoot, shoot, shoot,” said Williams, who will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer. “So, I’ve got to be the one to believe in myself. And yes, it’s good out there. It feels good right now. And I’m just trying to just stay in this rhythm.”
Tosan Evbuomwan inked a two-way contract with Brooklyn at the beginning of the month and has impressed in a regular rotation role off the bench, Lewis adds. The second-year forward has averaged 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds on .583/.375/.789 shooting over the past six games (24.8 minutes), scoring in double figures in five of those contests.
Kyrie Irving continues to sarcastically criticize the Nets nearly two years after he was traded to Dallas, according to Lewis. “Best trade in the business, baby. We won that trade!” Irving said Friday night after the Mavericks beat the Thunder, 106-98, then repeated for emphasis, “We won that trade! I was bad goods.”
In case you missed it, we passed along several other Johnson rumors yesterday from NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Injury Notes: Nance, Risacher, Kyrie, KAT, Nurkic, Beal, Suggs

January 17th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward/center Larry Nance Jr. is making progress in his rehabilitation process following right hand surgery, according to the Hawks (Twitter link), who announced that Nance will be reevaluated in one week and an update on his status will be shared at that time.

The Hawks will be down another forward in the short term, as Zaccharie Risacher, who missed Wednesday’s game vs. Chicago due to left adductor irritation, has been ruled out for two additional contests, per the club.

Risacher will be inactive for Saturday’s visit to Boston and Monday’s to New York before being reevaluated when the Hawks return home from their road trip ahead of next Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be back in action on Friday vs. Oklahoma City after sitting out the second end of a back-to-back set on Wednesday following his return from a back injury. Head coach Jason Kidd said he expects Irving to play “in the 33 (minute) range,” per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link).
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is dealing with a bone chip in the thumb, isn’t facing his old team on Friday, having been ruled out of New York’s game vs. Minnesota just over a half-hour before tip-off, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. Reporting this week indicated that Towns plans to play through his thumb injury, so it’s possible he’ll be back in action on Monday vs. Atlanta.
Suns center Jusuf Nurkic won’t play on Saturday in Detroit, having been ruled out for a fourth straight game due to an illness, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the illness, Nurkic was removed from Phoenix’s starting lineup and was a DNP-CD in two games last week. Suns guard Bradley Beal, who sat out on Thursday due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s contest.
Sidelined since January 3 due to a lower back strain, Magic guard Jalen Suggs said he’s “really itching to get back out on the court,” writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. An exact return timeline remains unclear, but Suggs has made good progress since being on “bed rest for a couple days” after first sustaining the injury. “Hopefully I’ll be out here soon,” he said on Friday.

Mavericks Notes: Lively, Irving, Dudley, Losing Streak

January 16th, 2025 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks center Dereck Lively suffered a right ankle sprain in the first quarter of Tuesday’s loss to Denver, causing him to exit the game after just four minutes. X-rays on Lively’s ankle were negative, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), but a return timeline has yet to be established for the second-year big man.

Lively and Kyrie Irving, who is dealing with a bulging disc in his back, were both sidelined for Wednesday’s loss in New Orleans, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Here’s more on the Mavericks:

Speaking of Irving, one of the people he’s been leaning on for advice for the back issue is assistant coach Jared Dudley, a longtime former player who dealt with a back problem during his career. “I had a back injury, and mine was more severe; I had back surgery,” Dudley told Grant Afseth and Rashad Miller of DallasHoopsJournal.com (Substack link). “Kyrie’s injury is less serious than mine, but with any back injury, it’s usually the nerve that’s affected. There’s a technique called nerve gliding that helps the nerve get back on track. Kyrie will need to do that and also follow a core regimen to keep everything stable. He’s already someone who follows a routine, so it’s just about continuing that.”
The Mavs dropped their third straight game on Wednesday, losing to the lowly Pelicans in controversial fashion, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Trailing by one point with 15 seconds remaining, Dallas forced Jordan Hawkins into a turnover and had a fast break opportunity. With about five seconds left, Spencer Dinwiddie‘s layup attempt hit the backboard and then was goaltended by Trey Murphy, but the officials didn’t call it (YouTube link). The NBA’s last two-minute report acknowledged that the referees missed the call, tweets MacMahon.
In a radio appearance on 96.7 The Ticket, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said the team was unlikely to file a protest for the loss, relays Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “You can do an appeal but if you do it, you have to spend some money,” Harrison said. “It might make you feel good, but it’s not going to change the outcome. Refs make mistakes. It’s frustrating. … It is what it is. You have to move on to the next game.” Marc Stein confirms (via Twitter) that the Mavs will not file an official protest with the league.

Kyrie Irving: Back Injury Shouldn’t Require Surgery

January 15th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving returned to the court on Tuesday after missing five games due to a bulging disc in his back. Speaking after the game to reporters, including Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Irving said he “felt a lot better” in his first outing since January 1.

“The last almost two weeks have sucked, to be real with you,” Irving said. “I haven’t really had any back troubles before, so when I got the MRI back and found out it was a bulging disc, I spoke to a few experts; a few doctors; spoke to some of my teammates; spoke to some of the guys on our coaching staff as well, who’ve dealt with surgery or dealt with just the maintenance of that.

“It’s on and off. So I just got to be very smart about it, but I’m grateful I got a chance to go out and get some minutes. Tonight really felt like I just hopped off the couch and decided to play an NBA game.”

According to Irving, there’s not “heavy, heavy concern” among Dallas’ coaches or medical staff about the issue, which shouldn’t need to be addressed with a surgical procedure. The eight-time All-Star said that the ailment will need to be managed, but he’s “most likely” going to play in the second end of the Mavs’ back-to-back set on Wednesday vs. New Orleans.

“It’s a bulging disc in the back, so just got to do your best to manage it,” Irving said. “It’s not to the point where it’s bad enough I need surgery, which I’m grateful to God. But I have the support on our medical staff and a few other people in this locker room who have been dealing with the same thing. So just being smart about it.”

The Mavericks have gone 3-6 without Irving this season and 19-12 when he has played. The 32-year-old wasn’t especially effective in Tuesday’s loss to Denver, with 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting, but his season-long numbers remain impressive — he holds averages of 23.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, with a shooting line of .481/.435/.894.

Dallas is expected to be without its top scorer, Luka Doncic, until at least early February, so having a healthy Irving available to kick-start the team’s offensive attack will be crucial in the next few weeks.

Since Christmas Day, the game in which Doncic strained his calf, the Mavs have a 108.6 offensive rating, the 23rd-best mark in the NBA during that stretch. Prior to Christmas Day, that mark was 117.4, fourth-best in the league.

Dereck Lively II Exits With Ankle Sprain, Doesn’t Return

January 14th, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Mavericks ruled starting center Dereck Lively II out with an ankle sprain just four minutes into Tuesday’s game against Denver, the team announced (via Twitter).

Lively is continuing to build on an impressive first season that saw him finish sixth in Rookie of the Year voting as he helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals. In 31 games (24 starts) this season, he’s averaging 9.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per night while shooting a highly efficient 70.1% clip from the field.

It’s a tough blow for a Dallas team already without superstar Luka Doncic, who is dealing with a calf injury that’s expected to keep him out through this month, at the earliest. According to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, Doncic is on track to return in early February, prior to the All-Star break.

The Mavericks did get some good injury news on Tuesday, as Kyrie Irving returned to action following a five-game absence due to a back issue.

Lively’s most direct replacement is apparent: Daniel Gafford. He and Lively often switch off at the starting center position, with Gafford starting in all 22 of his appearances last postseason and Lively taking over this year.

Beyond Gafford, the Mavs have Maxi Kleber, P.J. Washington and Dwight Powell as bigs. Powell got into Tuesday’s game in the first half after not playing in Dallas’ previous two tilts.

Lively’s return timeline will depend on the severity of the injury. While a mild sprain may not cost him much, if any, additional time, a more significant sprain could keep him on the shelf for weeks.

Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson

January 14th, 2025 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.

“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”

Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”

Mavericks Notes: Hardy, Dinwiddie, Grimes, Irving, Doncic, Exum

January 11th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jaden Hardy is giving the Mavericks the offensive lift they need with their two stars sidelined by injuries, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The third-year guard is coming off a season-high 25-point performance in Thursday’s win over Portland, and Curtis notes that since December 28, Hardy is leading the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at 55.6%.

“He’s starting to get into a groove,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You see that on the offensive end. Defensively, he’s competing and giving it everything we’re asking him to do. … I think the more minutes he’s playing, he’s becoming more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do. We need that with everybody out.”

Hardy is becoming the scoring threat the Mavs envisioned when they gave him a three-year, $18MM extension in October. He has scored in double figures in the last five games — the longest stretch of his career — and Dallas is 10-4 when he posts at least 10 points.

“Just sticking to what I’ve been doing,” Hardy said. “Extra work. Extra film. Asking the coaches questions. ‘What can I do better to help the team?’ Just trying to bring energy whenever I get out there and bring a spark.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Spencer Dinwiddie has also been playing an important role while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are out of action, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. Dinwiddie, who has become the primary lead guard, had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists against Portland after compiling 19 points, six rebounds and eight assists Tuesday against the Lakers. “The pick and roll, the tempo of getting downhill, the ball touching the paint and being able to make plays,” Kidd said in describing what Dinwiddie brings to the offense. “We need that while those two are out, and even when those two come back we need him to continue to play that way.”
Quentin Grimes talks to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) about a number of topics, including the adjustments he needed to make after being traded from Detroit to Dallas over the summer. “Being on a new team, I’ve had to learn the system and all the nuances defensively,” he said. “I try to keep everyone focused on building good habits, even when things are going well. We want to be in the playoffs and compete for a championship, so I’m trying to help keep us on that path.”
Irving is making progress in his recovery from a bulging disc in his back and was able to do some spot-shooting drills after today’s practice, Afseth adds in a separate story. Doncic did some light shooting without jumping, but Kidd cautioned that there are several steps to be cleared before a timetable can be set for his return. Kidd is optimistic about Dante Exum, who has been sidelined since hurting his right wrist in training camp. “He’s doing a great job with his rehab,” Kidd said. “I think he’s out to the three-point line shooting now, so a lot of positives there. And then it’s just a matter of getting the scheduled appointment to check to see how the wrist is doing and then go from there. But he’s in great shape. He’s done a lot of solo workouts.”

Mavs Notes: Grimes, Irving, Gafford, Kleber

January 9th, 2025 at 7:35am CST by Luke Adams

With top scorers Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both unavailable on Tuesday due to injuries, Quentin Grimes stepped into a starring role for the Mavericks, racking up 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes off the bench as Dallas registered a 21-point win.

Grimes, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, has primarily served as a three-and-D wing since entering the NBA, but pointed out after Tuesday’s win that he has some point guard experience.

“In high school, I was primarily (point guard),” Grimes said, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “At U of H (University of Houston), (I was) the primary ball-handler. I’m definitely comfortable with whatever. I know with Luka and Kyrie, I can space out the court. It makes it easy for me to drive and play off closeouts. … I’m going to do whatever to help the team win.”

It was another big game for Grimes, who has averaged 14.1 points per game on .479/.417/.740 shooting in his last 19 contests. The 24-year-old observed following his performance against the Lakers that the absences of Doncic and Irving allow him to be more aggressive as a scorer and play-maker.

“It’s just a big opportunity for me, knowing we aren’t going to have Luka for a while,” Grimes said. “And then, Kyrie is out. I know I’m going to have an opportunity offensively to make plays for myself, make plays for my teammates.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Irving is currently sidelined due to a bulging disc in his back, which is the sort of injury that can become a recurring problem if it’s not managed correctly. However, head coach Jason Kidd expressed confidence on Tuesday that the Mavs will be able to get the issue under control without Irving requiring an extended absence, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link). “It is not long-term,” Kidd said on TNT. “We’re working on it. We’re positive the results will be good.”
The Mavs also provided a positive injury update on center Daniel Gafford, who sprained his left ankle on Monday and missed Tuesday’s game. As Afseth writes on his Substack, Gafford is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game vs. Portland, so even if he’s ultimately downgraded to out for that contest, it sounds like he’ll return soon.
Maxi Kleber is considered one of Dallas’ most logical trade candidates due to his $11MM cap hit and relatively modest role, but he has averaged 26.5 minutes per night in his last seven games, up from 17.0 MPG in his first 18 outings. Filling in for Gafford on Tuesday vs. the Lakers, Kleber was a +21 with five points and five assists in 29 minutes. “I think Maxi is not gonna be talked about, but I thought he did an incredible job of boxing out, being able to be physical,” Kidd said after that game, per Afseth. “(Anthony Davis) is not easy. He’s one of the best players in the league, and I thought he made it tough on him tonight. And then also his ability to play-make. We won’t always call Maxi a play-maker, but his ability to put the ball on the floor and make plays for guys to get open threes was big for us tonight.”

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