- Kyrie Irving jokes about why he’s on the Mavericks instead of playing against them
- Mavericks star says he was the best Luka Doncic stopper in the league
- Kyrie faces uncertain future with Mavericks after underwhelming season
Kyrie Irving wasn’t the dream star for the Dallas Mavericks, but when the franchise went looking for a co-star for Luka Doncic, he was the best option available at the time. At a glance, Kyrie’s shooting, ball handling, and play-making abilities are reason enough to pursue a trade but, according to Irving himself, his defense over Luka is another reason for his trade to the Mavericks.
Speaking on the ‘Locked On Mavericks’ podcast, Uncle Drew joked that he was the best Luka stopper in the league before joining forces with the Slovenian superstar. “I feel like I’m one of the guys that guards [Luka Doncic] the best. That’s probably why I’m on this team.”
Kyrie: "I feel like I'm one of the guys that guards [Luka Doncic] the best. That's probably why I'm on this team." 😏😏😏 pic.twitter.com/e3BJVQaZf5
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 30, 2023
It’s a funny story from Irving, but not entirely true. In three games against Kyrie in his career, Doncic averaged an impressive 26.7 points, 10.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game. Needless to say, Irving’s claim is not hard to debunk but it doesn’t change the impact he’s had in Dallas overall. Had the Mavericks not traded for him, or re-signed him over the summer, we could be looking at a dire situation in Dallas with Luka set to hit free agency in a few years.
A Fresh Start For Kyrie
After his stints in Cleveland, Boston, and Brooklyn ended in disaster, many fans and experts across the league expressed concern over Irving’s arrival in Dallas. As talented as is, his work ethic is questionable considering how much time he’s missed over the past three years. Additionally, Irving’s knack for stirring up drama has been a major problem in the past and it destroyed the locker room during his previous stop in Brooklyn.
So far, Kyrie has been on his best behavior in Dallas but it’s hard not to wonder how long it will last given his track record for dysfunction. If he can avoid causing problems, he could increase his numbers from last season, which stand at 27.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. At his best, the Mavericks could outperform their play from last season and finally take their place within the upper echelon of the Western Conference. At his worst, Irving could tear things apart from the inside out, just like he’s done in each of his previous stops so far.
Are The Mavericks Contenders This Season?
On paper, the Mavericks have the star power to compete with any team in the league. With Kyrie Irving ready to take over point guard duties for the team, Doncic finally has a true secondary star to support him — and the last time he had that, Dallas reached the Western Conference Finals.
Unfortunately, the top-heavy Mavericks aren’t exactly brimming with supporting talent. With players like Josh Green and Grant Williams, the Mavs do have some capable role-players but there is doubt that they have enough to compete with the likes of Denver, the Lakers, and the Warriors in the West. Kyrie will obviously play a huge role in it all, but the Mavs will only go as far as Luka takes them, and there’s no reason to think he won’t have a big season. Last year, through all the ups and downs, he delivered on an excellent season overall with averages of 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 49.6% shooting. As long as he continues to be
“that guy” for them, you can’t count the Mavericks out in the race out West.
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