Livescore
It’s an infuriating time for Dallas Mavericks fans, and a conflicting one for Kyrie Irving after the Luka Dončić trade.
While many have been quick to criticize Dallas for moving on from a five-time All-NBA first-teamer, Irving is left to lead a team that has massively changed in roster construction, swapping out a historically effective scorer in Dončić for a two-way standout in Anthony Davis. What’s more, Irving considers both players friends.
Speaking to reporters after the Mavericks’ 118-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Irving laid out his thoughts.
Irving on his reaction:
“Just really shocked. I just don’t imagine that you’re getting ready to go to sleep and then you find out news like that. Still a grieving process right now, miss my hermano. We had a lot of time together, Kief [Markieff Morris] too and Maxi [Kleber], and we just built some bonds that went beyond the basketball court. If anybody can understand at home, when someone or a few people leave in a trade, it’s going to be difficult and that’s what we’re dealing with right now.
“This is a business, it’s way above my pay grade, I’ve just to got to adjust and be ready to welcome my new teammates with open arms and be ready to go back to Dallas and speak in front of our fans. I know they’re feeling it, I’m feeling it too, guys. It’s just an adjustment period. I don’t want to downplay or disrespect our new guys, they’re going to help us win and build towards a championship, but just like everyone else at home, it hurts.”
The loss of Dončić will put the lion’s share of responsibility on Irving to create offensively. The Sixers provided a glimpse of the pressure he figures to face going forward at the end of their game Tuesday, when they double-teamed out at the logo and forced a well-defended drive by Naji Marshall.
Davis won’t be handling the ball much as Dončić, but he will help in other ways. Irving said he actually spoke with Davis back in 2018 — when Davis was starring for the New Orleans Pelicans while Irving was still with the Boston Celtics — about forming a super-team in Boston alongside Kevin Durant.
The hope was that the team would be able to keep Jayson Tatum, who was a rookie in 2017-18, but it was accepted Jaylen Brown would have to be moved. The rumors apparently didn’t go over well in the Celtics’ locker room:
“In 2018, it was a dream for Kyrie, AD, KD to be on one team and still keep JT and let him grow and then see how it goes. But back then, those young guys weren’t ready to be in trade rumors, man. Our locker room splintered after that, once they found out. It wasn’t JB or JT, but our locker room splintered once they started figuring out the trade rumors, and our season started going in a whole different way.”
Seven years later, Irving and Davis will give the idea a partial try. Durant probably isn’t walking through that door, though.
Read the full article here
Discussion about this post