One didn't have to be a basketball expert to realize that the new-look Dallas Mavericks would have trouble on the defensive end of the floor.Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic playing together was a promising thought offensive-wise, but not so much on defense.
The Mavs lost their best defender in Dorian Finney-Smith in the Irving trade, and they plummetted in the standings as soon as Uncle Drew arrived in Dallas. And while he shouldn't be to blame for their shortcomings, the team has been much worse since they traded for him.
That's why Mavs owner Mark Cuban recently admitted that he made a mistake. He still wants Kyrie to stay with the team, but he knows they should've done more to address their roster needs after trading for him.
Mark Cuban Admits He Made A Mistake With Kyrie Irving
“I don’t think it’s J-Kidd’s problem that we didn’t have an identity,” Cuban told The Athletic. “The game changed in ways we didn’t expect it to change, so I blew it. It was on me personally because the game changed in terms of the take fouls and the speed of the game, and where you need to be defensively. We just didn’t make the right changes that we needed to.”
Irving Wants To Stay In Dallas
Even despite all the struggles, Irving claims to be committed to the team. He recently stated that this version of the Mavs was built for the long term, adding that they can't be expected to contend right away:
"I think their realistic view is that when I came here, that this was going to be a growing process," Irving said. "This was for the long term, and this is for something that’s bigger than ourselves, and we can’t just be a championship team overnight, especially me coming here."
"I’ve wrapped my head around that aspect of it; I’m at peace with it," continued Irving. "It doesn’t mean I’m giving up on this season or any of my teammates, but we know where we realistically are. Our destiny is in other teams hands losing games, so we just have to control what we can."
Of course, he also said that when he was with the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Nets. So, not even watching him sign another contract with them will make the fans actually believe him when he says he's in for the long run.
