Kyrie Irving’s relationship with the Brooklyn Nets came to an end this week when they traded him to the Dallas Mavericks.
For a somewhat reasonable price of Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks, Dallas got an NBA champ and eight-time All-Star.
Whether he will be worth the investment remains to be seen, but judging by Luka Doncic’s role in the whole process, clearly everyone believed enough in the transaction to sign off on it.
Before Irving could start his next chapter, however, he decided to reflect on the last one.
“For me, personally, sitting in this seat today, I just know I want to be in a place where I’m celebrated, and not just tolerated, or just, you know, kind of dealt with in a way that doesn’t make me feel respected,” Irving said of his time with the Nets.
“There were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn where I felt very disrespected.”
Although Irving didn’t specify the particular areas where he felt disrespected, it’s not hard to read between the lines. He is likely talking about one very particular thing.
As for how he left Brooklyn, Irving believes he more than did his part for the organization.
“I left them in fourth place; I did what I was supposed to do,” Irving continued.
“I took care of my teammates, was incredibly, incredibly selfless. And in my approach to leading I just want to do all the right things for myself, not to appease anybody.”
As noted by Al Horford’s sister, Anna, Irving has a very clear pattern of behavior.
The photo speaks for itself. https://t.co/apudVWeVrW
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 9, 2023
To think that it won’t repeat itself with the Mavericks is probably a little delusional.
That said, he could still help them win some games in the interim before the eventual blow-up.
How long will Irving last with the Mavs before turning on them the way he has every other team he has ever been on? Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
