Kyrie Irving masayang bumalik sa Mavericks
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a head shot during 2023 NBA Media Day on September 29, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE Jim Cowsert/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP Jim Cowsert / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP
Sinabi ng eight-time NBA All-Star guard na si Kyrie Irving, na madaling desisyon ang muling lumagda ng kontrata sa Dallas Mavericks pagkatapos ng maikling panahon ng pagiging free agent.
Sa kaniyang pakikipag-usap sa mga mamamahayag sa unang pagkakataon mula noong huling linggo ng nakaraang season, sinabi ni Irving, “Dallas just felt like a good fit.”
Bilang isang free agent sa pagtatapos ng nakaraang season, lumagda si Irving ng isang tatlong taon kontrata sa Mavericks noong Hunyo na nagkakahalaga ng $126 million.
Ayon kay Irving, “Had Dallas as number one on my list. Obviously I looked elsewhere, salary cap opportunities, where I could fit in with other guys around the league, but there just wasn’t much space.”
Dagdag pa niya, “And me being 31 now, I had to have a different vantage point, and I felt like I could not just settle here but be happy to come back here and be welcomed back with a warm embrace.”
Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after he was charged with a foul against Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks in the final seconds of overtime at State Farm Arena on April 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. / Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP / Kevin C. Cox / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Sinabi ni Irving na suportado ng kaniyang pamilya ang kaniyang hakbang, at naniniwala ang mga ito na makapagbibigay iyon sa kaniya ng “kapayapaan sa loob man o labas ng court.”
Sabi pa nito, “I had already dealt with enough (the) past season or the past two seasons, so they knew that I just wanted a lot of that off my back and off my shoulders of feeling like I had to be Superman or I had to be perfect. I just wanted to be myself.”
Si Irving, na nanalo ng isang NBA title kasama ng Cleveland noong 2016, ay napasama sa Dallas pagkatapos ng apat na seasons sa Brooklyn, kung saan na-miss niya ang maraming mga laro matapos tumangging magpabakuna laban sa Covid-19, at nasuspinde sa last season dahil sa isang social media post na tumutukoy sa isang pelikulang nagtataglay ng anti-Semitic themes.
Sa 20 laro kasama ng Mavericks sa nakaraang season, si Irving ay nakagawa ng average na 27 points, limang rebounds at anim na assists.
Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during action against the Sacramento Kings in the first half at American Airlines Center on April 5, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. / Ron Jenkins/Getty Images/AFP
Ron Jenkins / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Gayunpaman, siya at ang Slovenian star na si Doncic ay hindi kailanman lumabas bilang isang mahigpit na tandem threat. Kapwa sila nagtamo ng mga pinsala habang ang Mavs ay humihina na, habang sila ay magkasama pa sa lineup.
Sinabi ni Irving, “I thought me and Doncic were ‘too passive’ when playing together. Doncic said Wednesday he thought a full training camp and pre-season together would improve our chemistry.”
Ayon kay Doncic, “It takes time to build chemistry, especially on the court. We’ll have the whole training camp and pre-season, so I think it’s going to be way better.”
