Kyrie Irving will begin his tenure as a member of the Dallas Mavericks tonight as he will be a part of the lineup in the game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Luka Doncic will be out after suffering an injury in the Mavs’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans. This game will mark the beginning of the Irving era in Dallas, and his performances are crucial in his bid to secure his NBA future.
Irving left the Brooklyn Nets largely in part of the franchise refusing to give him the contract extension he wants. Irving hopes to play his way to it on the Mavericks, who have expressed a desire to keep him long-term after giving up real assets for him. However, Stephen A. Smith has said he wouldn’t pay Kyrie for more than a season at a time due to his history.
Kyrie Irving is a guy who believes it is a privilege for you, to watch him play, rather than it being a privilege, he possesses to have the skills that he has to put on display for us to watch.
Watch more on this topic in today's episode – the link is in the bio. pic.twitter.com/dQRi7KjrtH
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 6, 2023
“He’s a superstar basketball player, he’s a sensational talent, he’s box office, he’s worth $50 million a year. Easy. I would just pay him one year at a time. I am not giving that brother a long-term deal because I cab’t trust him. I am not doing that. It ain’t because he’s some bad guy. Kyrie is not a malicious person, he doesn’t mean to hurt or harm people. He just believes he’s more knowledgable than everybody else.”
Kyrie Irving has been notoriously unavailable due to injury, suspension, or self-imposed exile. The Mavericks will have to be very cautious with Irving, but if his play on the court remains as good as advertised, the Mavs may have put together the best backcourt in the NBA.
Is Kyrie Irving A Safe Bet For The Mavericks?
Short answer, no. This is as far removed from a safe bet as possible. However, the upside might just make it worth the price they paid. If Irving shows impeccable chemistry with Luka Doncic, something he has always had with his superstar teammates, the Mavericks may be one of the most intimidating teams in the West.
The success of this experiment is contingent on what the Mavs do before the trade deadline in terms of addressing perimeter and interior defense on their team. They have 2 of the best dribblers in the NBA, one of whom is also a generational playmaker. They have shooters around the roster. What they don’t have are reliable defensive players.
If the Mavericks could trade for someone like Jarred Vanderbilt in Utah, they would look more complete as a roster. Irving’s extension will worry the Mavericks, so trying to maximize short-term success might be the way to go now to prove to Luka that they’ll be aggressive to get him help whenever possible.
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