There has been no shortage of speculation surrounding Dallas Mavericks‘ star Kyrie Irving‘s future with the team. Dallas landed Irving in a trade back in February, but his contract is set to expire after the season.
The 31-year-old discussed the Mavs’ playoff hopes after their March 29 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, saying that he’s at peace with the franchise’s long-term plans.
“I think the realistic view is that when I came here, this was going to be a growing process,” Irving said via Sports Illustrated’s Grant Afseth. “This was for the long term, and this was for something that’s bigger than ourselves, and we can’t just be a championship team overnight, especially me coming here. So I think I’ve wrapped my head around that aspect of it. I’m at peace with it. It doesn’t mean that I’m giving up on this season or any of my teammates are, but we know where we realistically are, and our destiny is in some other team’s hands losing games. So we just got to control what we can control and focus on the next few possessions that we have in these next games against some really good teams that want to position themselves for the playoffs. We’re fighting for a spot, so I look forward to the challenge. But again, in the last six minutes of the game, I felt like we could have been better clear, including myself.”
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving was asked if there’s enough time to build the necessary chemistry in the final few games, given the scramble the standings has caused.
“It’s been a scramble since I’ve been here. So, trying to fill in roles that kind of fill in from other people. And I…
Kyrie Irving’s NFSW Rant on Arrival with Mavericks
Irving also discussed the struggles that the team has had adjusting since the trade.
“Just human nature, man,” Irving said of Dallas’ struggles and him fitting into a new situation via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I’m getting traded to a new work environment, and it’s just a lot of newness. I’m trying to introduce myself to everybody, figure out, you know, who do guys go to on the team to confide in off the court? Who is our coaching staff as people? Upper management, who are they as people? What do they expect from me? The big question, why they traded for me? And, you know, what does it look like for the future? That’s the big question. What does our future look like? What does our future look like? I think that now, again, just where we are in the season, and where other teams are positioned already, it kind of looks like a bit of a clusterf***, to be honest with you, because we’re 37-40, and we’re trying to fight to get into the play-in game.”
This is Kyrie Irving’s very long (and thoughtful) answer to what its been like being traded midseason for the first time in his career, which is where the “it kind of looks like a little bit of a clusterfuck” quote came from.
Mavs Predicted to Land Draymond Green, LeBron James
If Irving sticks around in Dallas, then he could wind up being a part of a powerhouse. That is, if what The Ringer’s Bill Simmons’ prediction comes true.
On the March 29 episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons suggested that Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green could join the Mavs this summer, and then lure Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to come along.
“I think he ends up in Dallas with Kyrie and with Luka, and the LeBron tries to figure out a way to get there eventually,” Simmons said. “Yeah, that’s my prediction.”
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Kyrie Irving Gets Honest on Mavericks Long-Term Future: ‘I’m at Peace With It’