When Kyrie Irving was moved to the Dallas Mavericks at the 2023 trade deadline, Mark Cuban and his front office received a lot of flack. Kyrie was embroiled in a number of issues prior to his trade to the Mavericks, raising concerns about his reliability. One and a half seasons later, it looks like a brilliant choice. The Dallas Mavericks are on a seven-game win run. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic’s chemistry has clicked, and they appear to be the NBA’s most dangerous tandem.

Mark Cuban recently appeared on ‘The Draymond Green Show’ and was asked about his choice to trade for Kyrie Irving by the Golden State Warriors’ forward.

“When you talked to people around him before we did the deal, nobody disliked him. Everybody loved him. When you talked to teammates, current and former, loved him. When you asked them what the issue was – ‘Well, Media’”.

Cuban mentioned that Nico Harrison knew Kyrie to be a nice and sensitive person, whom the media frequently misrepresented. The team’s minority owner concluded that if that was the only issue, he could cope with the press.

There have never been any worries regarding Irving’s basketball abilities. It has always been about the off-court controversies surrounding him.

The 2016 NBA champion has had a turbulent few years, whether it’s because to anti-Semitic remarks on social media or his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine. However, none of this bothered the billionaire.

He expressed love for his player by saying, “Let me just tell you, I love Ky to death. The more I talk to him, the more I realize he has a golden heart. He is concerned with much too many issues.”

The above words by Mark Cuban drew praise from Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who shared the video on his Instagram story.

Mark Cuban was effusive in his appreciation and affection for the player. He expressed his willingness to shield him from the press and stated that he would take bullets for him, just as he did other Mavericks players. Irving appears to have finally reached a point where he can tune out the noise and concentrate on his basketball game.

Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks season

Credits: USA Today Sports

The Dallas Mavericks had a disappointing 2023 season and did not make the Play-In spot in the Western Conference, which led to a lot of doubts about the coexistence of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. However, all of those questions have been put to rest with their performance in 2024. The Mavericks started the season slowly, trying to get their chemistry right, and they also added some key pieces during the 2024 trade deadline. Since then, they have become a force to be reckoned with.