Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving spoke to the media for the first time after teammate Luka Doncic was shockingly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Irving and Doncic built a strong relationship in two years as teammates on the Mavericks, with Irving expressing his shock that the deal got made.
“Just really shocked and you just don’t imagine you’re going to get ready to go to sleep and then you find out news like that. It’s still a grieving process right now. I miss my hermano.”
Irving also specifically discussed the implications of this trade on his personal preparation for the season, with Kyrie still being motivated to compete for a title but clearly upset that his partnership with Doncic was split up.
“Trying to figure out how I’m going to deal with all this. I’ll put my best foot forward as one of the leaders of this team. This is a weird case in NBA history to be a part of, but it’s also the nature of our business. It is a ruthless business, so you got to be ready to pick up the pieces and still run toward a championship.”
“That’s the ultimate goal behind why I play. Having other guys who are championship-winners helps, but at the same time we gotta acknowledge that our little Slovenian President is no longer here and we’ve got to adjust.”
What was Kyrie Irving doing when the Luka Dončić trade happened? pic.twitter.com/N1wN74PHK9
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 5, 2025
Doncic and Irving played 87 games from February 2023 to December 2024, marking their almost two-year stint with a triumphant NBA Finals appearance last season.
It’s a shame we won’t see them get a chance to run it back this year with Doncic being traded away, as the Mavericks were still considered contenders who fell in the standings because of injury troubles.
Irving is averaging 24.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season, with his production bound to increase as the primary perimeter offensive option now that Doncic is gone. Whether he can handle that responsibility and help the Mavericks climb out of No. 11 in the standings with Davis on the court remains to be seen.
Kyrie and Luka went 52-35 as a duo, bringing countless memories to Mavericks fans that could’ve been more expansive if the franchise stuck with Doncic. Kyrie is on an expiring contract this season, so this decision could play a part in his impending free agency. The Mavericks cannot afford to penny-pinch him now that they have no other reliable guard-scoring options on the squad.
With ambitious additional plans for the Mavs on the horizon, it’ll be fascinating to see how Irving deals with these changes, as the organization that helped him restore calmness in his career seems to have gone a little off the rails.
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