Keep in mind when Kyrie Irving was considered because the lacking piece in Dallas?
Nicely, that went away shortly, however apparently, the group doesn’t suppose it’s his personal doing, even because it sits in eleventh place within the Western Convention at 36-39 after a second straight loss to the Hornets on Sunday.
The Mavericks, who’re 6-9 in video games through which Irving has performed, have praised Irving for “his professionalism and locker room presence,” in keeping with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Dallas acquired Irving from the Nets days earlier than the NBA commerce deadline after the guard requested a commerce out of Brooklyn.
Markieff Morris additionally went to the Mavericks whereas the Nets obtained Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks, together with a future first-rounder.
The report got here after the Mavericks blew what felt like a must-win recreation in opposition to the tanking Hornets on Friday on their residence flooring.
Together with Irving, head coach Jason Kidd and star Luka Doncic voiced their discontent following the embarrassing 117-109 loss, which included a 69-55 halftime deficit.
“[We] most likely ought to have been booed within the first quarter, simply the trouble within the play,” Kidd stated Friday evening. “They’ve a proper [to boo]. They paid to see a greater present. It wasn’t there till the second half. We will’t come out like that, particularly this time of the 12 months.”
The frustration doesn’t seem like between the on-court partnership with Doncic and Irving, nevertheless.
The Mavericks couldn’t get revenge on Sunday in Charlotte, which started a five-game street journey, together with matchups with the seemingly playoff-bound Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Warmth.
Irving can be quite famously within the final 12 months of a four-year, $136 million deal initially signed with the Nets in the summertime of 2019.
Irving, who simply turned 31 years outdated, will grow to be an unrestricted free agent following the conclusion of his twelfth NBA season.
