Kyrie Irving Rumors: Mavs Think Their Culture, Environment Will Be ‘Ideal Fit’ for PG

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After acquiring star point guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks appear to be confident that he is a strong addition for the franchise and that he will pair well alongside young phenom Luka Dončić.

“Dallas has been coveting an elite talent to pair with Dončić, and team sources say that they believe their organization’s culture and environment will be an ideal fit for Irving,” The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania wrote.

Irving has been a source of controversy throughout his tenure with the Nets because of his extended absences for non-basketball reasons. He missed the majority of last season because of his refusal to comply with New York City’s vaccination mandates. This season, he was suspended for eight games in November for his promotion of an antisemitic movie and subsequent refusal to disavow antisemitic beliefs.

After making an apology and going through the necessary steps to return to the team, Irving reminded the basketball world why he’s one of the premier talents in the NBA. He’s averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season.

However, Irving refueled the scrutiny he receives when he requested to be traded from the Nets last week just six days before Thursday’s trade deadline. He reportedly was unhappy with Brooklyn’s refusal to meet his desires for a contract extension, and he indicated that he would depart when he hit free agency this summer.

After the deal to Dallas had been completed, many openly wondered how Irving and Dončić will fit together on the court. Both of them are ball-dominant guards who are used to being the primary offensive option, so it will be up to head coach Jason Kidd to figure out the best way to deploy his new star duo.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that Irving and the Mavs are not expected to discuss a possible contract extension until after the 2022-23 season comes to an end. Dallas took a massive gamble by acquiring him, as he could walk for nothing over the summer if the pairing with Dončić doesn’t work out.

The Mavs (28-26) will take on the Utah Jazz (27-27) on Monday. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Irving will make his team debut on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers (30-26).