The San Antonio Spurs are still reeling from their NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks. In that series, pretty much everyone on the roster took a step back from their Western Conference Finals heroics against the OKC Thunder.

Perhaps no one more than De'Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet, though.

In the regular season, Fox and Kornet were exactly as advertised. Kornet was a stellar backup for Victor Wembanyama, making sure the Spurs didn't bleed as their superstar sat. Fox, meanwhile, was a steady hand in the backcourt and helped Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper take big leaps.

With Castle owed an extension next summer and Harper due for one after that, though, the Spurs need to shed some salary. Fox's maximum contract is prime trade fodder.

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If the Spurs do trade Fox, then Harper and Castle will be their only true point guards capable of playing big minutes. That lack of depth is a big reason why the Spurs shouldn't be rash.

Unless, of course, they were able to bring back a point guard in the process.

BasketNews' Jonas Gendvilas proposed a deal that would send De'Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford.

"This proposed trade would resolve Dallas' timeline mismatch with Irving while allowing the San Antonio Spurs to retool a squad that was just one step away from winning the title," he wrote. "Replacing Fox with Irving would give the Spurs a proven playoff performer who can provide valuable postseason experience to San Antonio's young backcourt. While there is risk given Kyrie's injury history, his shorter and less expensive contract provides more flexibility for the future."

Irving hasn't played NBA basketball in over a year, and there's no guarantee that he will fully recover from his torn ACL. However, he's proven himself as one of the clutcher players in the NBA, and his contract only has two seasons left on it.

Plus, he's a better shooter than Fox.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, land a long-term, experienced running mate to pair with Cooper Flagg. Would Irving be willing to share the backcourt with Castle and Harper? His track record with Luka Doncic suggests so.

In this deal, the Spurs improve their center depth and set themselves up for an easier future. Without draft capital, though, it's hard to imagine Dallas agreeing to this trade.