Mavericks: Mark Cuban calls Kyrie Irving ‘misunderstood’ after new contract

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban came to the defense of Kyrie Irving after the team re-signed him to a three-year contract. 

The Dallas Mavericks’ main offseason priority was re-signing Kyrie Irving, who the team acquired from the Brooklyn Nets via trade in February. Well, mission accomplished — Irving inked a new three-year, $126 million contract to stick around next to Luka Doncic in the backcourt.

On the basketball court, that’s an undeniable victory. There are quibbles to be made about Irving’s play style, but he’s one of the most brilliant offensive players of his generation. A true wizard handling the rock, Irving’s ability to shift gears and change speeds on a dime, combined with unmatched footwork and flexibility, makes him virtually impossible to stop one-on-one.

Irving can get anywhere he wants on the floor and when he gets there, he’s one of the best shot-makers alive. His touch around the rim is the stuff of legend; his pull-up jumper is smooth as fresh-churned butter.

And yet, there is still a broad segment of the NBA fandom critical of Dallas’ decision to keep Irving around — a segment team majority owner Mark Cuban vehemently disagrees with, as he told SiriusXM NBA Radio in Las Vegas.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban defends Kyrie Irving as “misunderstood”

The word “misunderstood” has been used frequently in correlation to Kyrie, so Cuban isn’t exactly writing the book on Irving’s defense here. Cuban first states the obvious: we traded for Kyrie so he could be a long-term piece. Okay. Then, he dives into why he’s confident the Dallas relationship won’t go south like Irving’s tenures in Cleveland, Boston, and Brooklyn.

He first cites Kyrie’s relationship with other players. How, after games, opposing players will frequently hug Irving and show “honest to goodness” respect . Then he cites how Dallas’ players feel the same way — they all love him.

Of course, Cuban is being purposefully selective with his analysis of the situation. A lot of players love and respect Kyrie, there’s no doubt about it. He’s the most skilled hooper of his generation, a walking highlight who has inspired an entire generation before his 32nd birthday.

But… did Cuban check in on how, say, James Harden feels about Kyrie Irving? What about LeBron James? Those two have made up and mended bridges, but was LeBron singing Irving’s praises to the moon and back when the guard forced his way out of Cleveland?

And players are only part of the equation. How does Irving get along with coaches? Remember when he basically inferred that Brooklyn didn’t need Steve Nash, then had to halfheartedly walk it back? What about management, ownership? Nets owner Joe Tsai had to intervene with Irving on multiple occasions about his refusal to disavow antisemitism, which led to issues with the organization and, ultimately, Irving’s second trade request.

That, of course, is the big elephant in the room. On the surface, Irving’s relationship with Brooklyn fell apart because the Nets refused to offer him a guaranteed long-term extension. But why did the Nets refuse to do that? Not because Irving didn’t get along with players. Not because he wasn’t meant to be a long-term piece. But, because Irving was frequently unreliable — in part due to his refusal to disavow antisemitism and the resulting team-mandated absences.

Irving posted a link on Instagram to a movie known for its antisemitic rhetoric. It has been almost a year and I’m still not sure Irving has given a full-throated, earnest apology for it. That is the type of action no player should be able to hide from, but Irving hid masterfully. Mostly because he’s really good at basketball and teams are willing to make moral sacrifices to win games.

Mark Cuban is beating around the bush at a prodigious rate in that interview. Maybe Kyrie Irving makes a home in Dallas. On the court, him and Luka Doncic are beautiful to watch. But to completely ignore the reason for Irving’s unceremonious exit in Brooklyn is a bit shameful.