Mavericks: Contracts and a stacked conference might spell trouble

The Dallas Mavericks had one wild week: On Monday the team officially announced  the trade of Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith. Then on Wednesday, Irving gave a press conference announcing his focus on the now and not the future.

Not bad for a team that was looking for a second all-star to pair with Luka Doncic right?

In retrospective yes, but as far the future is concerned this might be a problem.

For starters, Irving is the perfect compliment to any team looking to upgrade their roster. Since his arrival in 2011 he has been selected to eight all-star games, as he played a major in helping Cleveland win the 2016 NBA finals.

Fast forward to now and his game has continued to progress. This season he go on to average 27.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. In his first game with Dallas he dropped in 24 points on 52.9 percent shooting. With Doncic expected to be back this weekend it’ll be interesting to see how much he fits into the team’s system.

The new trio of Doncic, Irving and Christian Wood is expected to be the core that helps the Mavericks overcome their postseason failures.

However there is just one problem: Irving and Wood have yet to sign extensions. With both players expected to hit the market, it will be important Dallas surrounds Doncic with all the help he can get.

Remember Irving demanded a trade from Brooklyn because of his failure to find contract negotiations that fit his liking. As for Wood, the team is open to extending his stay in Dallas. The question remains though: Will his name being in trade talks affect his future?

Whatever the case may be, the Mavericks must find commonality between both players.

You see, with Kevin Durant headed to Phoenix, this could cause trouble for Dallas’ long term future. The former Net has three more years left on his contract, meaning the idea of him and Devin Booker playing together, could last for for the foreseeable future.

This is where Dallas transactions come in. Assuming  Irving and Wood don’t resign, then this could hurt their future outlook. Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans are not only young, but constantly getting better. Having Doncic alone is not enough, we’ve seen it before.

Why do you think they traded for Irving in the first place?

Not to mention, the Mavericks remain tied for the fourth spot, yet any given day that can change. As is stands, the team sits two games back from third, half a game ahead of sixth, one game on top of eight and two and half games ahead of 10th.

While Dallas must focus on the now and getting out of the West, they must also look towards the future. How can they compete against teams who are constantly getting better.

If Dallas hopes to be competitive for the next couple of years, then the answer is simple: Keep Irving and Wood happy, then ensure you sign them to a long term deal.