Kyrie Irving says he is happy. He said he feels celebrated and respected by his new team in Dallas.
While fans in Brooklyn, Boston and Cleveland may snicker and say "wait for it…", a happy Irving right now is a good thing for a Mavericks team desperate to put a high-level shot creator next to superstar Luka Dončić. Irving emphasized his joy in playing the game while speaking to the media Tuesday after his first practice with his new team. He praised the Mavericks organization while saying he sometimes didn't feel respected in Brooklyn. Here are Irving's comments, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Irving makes it hard not to talk about his off-the-floor choices when he does things that keep him away from his team, such as his vaccination status a season ago, or a Tweet earlier this season promoting a movie with anti-Semitic themes that led to an eight-game suspension by the Nets.
When on the court, Irving's skills are unquestionable - he has the league's best handles and averages 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, plus he is shooting 37.4% from 3. It's those skills he wants to bring to Dallas and make the focus. He wants to move on from the negativity surrounding him in Brooklyn.
If it stays fun and about basketball, this will be an excellent trade for the Mavericks. Irving will have to prove his critics wrong by keeping the spotlight on the court.
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Kyrie Irving says at times he "felt very disrespected" in Brooklyn originally appeared on NBCSports.com
