NBA Hall of Famer says Mavericks ‘missing a leader’ as Dallas tries to keep playoff hopes alive

The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of missing the playoffs after making a desperation move at the trade deadline to acquire Kyrie Irving. 

The Mavs sit a half-game back of the final spot in the NBA’s play-in tournament with just three games remaining on their regular season schedule. 

Since acquiring Irving, the Mavericks are 7-12 when Irving has played and have been terrible defensively, allowing 117.9 points per game since trading with the Brooklyn Nets.  

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Tim Hardaway Sr., whose son plays for Dallas, said Wednesday on “The Carton Show” that the trade for Irving has been the Mavericks’ downfall. 

“Me personally, that trade wasn’t for them,” Hardway Sr. said, “I think I would have kept what I had because I was in the 4th, 5th spot. What is not broken does not need to be fixed. And it’s not Kyrie’s fault. Everyone wants to put it on Kyrie Irving. It’s not Kyrie’s fault.” 

“They’re missing a leader,” he added. “They’re missing a leader out there. Luka [Doncic] is not a leader. Kyrie is not a leader. Jalen Brunson was a leader.”

The Mavericks are in a precarious position as the end of the regular season nears, in danger of losing their 2023 NBA Draft pick if they fall outside the top 10 and having no idea if Irving will return to Dallas next season. 

Irving will be a free agent after the season and the Mavericks could lose the eight-time All-Star for nothing after sending Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and a 2029 unprotected draft pick to the Nets. 

There have reportedly been internal discussions within the organization about whether to shut down Doncic and Irving for the remainder of the season in order to try and keep their 2023 draft pick. 

It’s an idea Doncic shut down on Tuesday. 

“I’m playing tomorrow,” Doncic said Tuesday after practice, according to ESPN. “When there’s still a chance, I’m gonna play. So that’s not gonna happen yet.”

The Mavericks are competing for the final play-in spot with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who own the tiebreaker over Dallas. The Mavericks would need to finish a game ahead of the Thunder in order to make the playoffs. 

Dallas plays the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday while the Thunder have the night off.