Months after making his interest in joining LeBron James public, Kyrie Irving claims ‘Dallas is No. 1’ on his list during free agency

Kyrie Irving is one of the most exciting players in the NBA. Despite his unique style of play and continued love from fans, the NBA’s trajectory hasn’t always been in his favor. Now, after three-plus seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, Irving is trying to assert his place among the league’s elite. One of those opportunities came when he was transferred to the Dallas Mavericks near the trade deadline last season. However, even after pairing up with Luka Doncic, things didn’t get better last season.

When Kyrie arrived, the Mavericks were one of the division leaders. However, things took a confusing turn as Dallas soon found itself slipping out of the playoff picture, raising questions about Kyrie’s impact on the team. While some question the Mavericks’ decision to acquire the 31-year-old star, others ponder whether Dallas is a good fit for Kyrie’s unique talents.

Kyrie Irving says resigning with Mavericks was a no-brainer

Last season, Kyrie played 20 games for the Mavericks, contributing nearly 27.0 points and 6.0 assists. Regardless, Dallas failed to secure a playoff spot, prompting media and fans to question the team’s motivation. Therefore, Kyrie Irving’s contract extension becomes more complicated. However, the Mavericks wasted no time and signed Kyrie to a new contract at the start of the NBA free agency period.

In a recent interview with NBA reporters on September 28, Kyrie shared a different perspective on his decision to re-sign with Dallas. When discussing his new contract, Carey said: “It all started with my agent, Shetalia, who is also my stepmother. The family business, so, she had my best interests at heart. The process wasn’t too difficult. “Dallas was number one on my list . “

In addition, Kyrie revealed that he had explored opportunities with other teams in the league before joining Dallas. He emphasized that he spent a lot of time and carefully considered all aspects before finally choosing to extend his stay with the team.

Kyrie Irving agreed to terms with Dallas on his first day of free agency. He currently has a three-year contract worth $126 million.

The Mavericks have been adding supporting players around their two stars

After a disappointing season, Mark Cuban claimed their woes stem from a lack of supporting cast. While Dallas has plenty of offensive firepower, a distinct lack of reliable defenders leaves them vulnerable. In the offseason, Cuban took decisive action to correct the same problem. In addition to strengthening the bench scoring, he mainly focused on recruiting defensive-minded players to complement the star players.

The most significant adjustments come in the frontcourt. Contrary to what the Mavericks were trying to achieve, they waived JaVale McGee and Christian Wood in free agency. In his place is Derek Lively, a newly drafted defensive center in the 2023 draft; they also protected Richaun Holmes. Both are expected to provide stability and effective synergy for the team’s two All-Star guards.

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Additionally, the Dallas Mavericks acquired Grant Williams from the Boston Celtics. Williams possesses the physical, three-down forward skillset and is ready to fill the void left by Dorian Finney-Smith.