Mavs' Kyrie Irving Has 'No Regrets' Over Nets Exit; Speaks on NBA Trade Requests
SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving participated in the typical NBA All-Star Media Day process on Saturday before participating in the All-Star Game on Sunday night.
Irving discussed many topics at his podium availability; among them was his trade request that ended his time with the Brooklyn Nets. Many consider Irving's decision to move on ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline as a spark for major activity around the league, including the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.
After spending four years with the Nets organization, Irving expressed his gratitude for the people that he had built connections with and acknowledged that the group fell short of achieving its goals.
"No regrets. I had a plan in place where I wanted to stay in Brooklyn long term, be a Net. It was a dream come true for me," Irving said. "Obviously, I wish things could have worked out for the best of all of us in terms of winning a championship and etching our names into the history of the NBA. Those are big aspirations.
"It sounds easier said than done. But I had an incredible four years. I’m grateful to all the people I met throughout the whole entire organization."
Now a Maverick, Irving looks forward to finishing out the stretch-run of the season with is new team. He also explained that he went through some personal battles throughout the journey that led him to Dallas and he's grateful for his new opportunity after the trade.
"Went through a lot of personal battles myself, had a unique journey," Irving said. "Now I get to speak on it truthfully and know that I’ve grown as a person, grown as a player. Now I can move forward and reflect on the rearview when it’s time but move forward with Dallas and the teammates I have now. So I’m grateful."
With the topic of Irving's trade request being discussed, the 30-000-foot view questions about NBA trade requests was brought up. Irving pushed back on the idea that superstars requesting trades is bad for the league at large. He believes that players should be able to make decisions they feel are best for their own unique situations.
"What's a bad situation and why doesn't anybody have the ability to ask for trades? That's my question," Irving responded. "When did it become terrible to make great business decisions for yourself and your happiness and your peace of mind?"
Irving expanded: "Not every employer you're gonna get along with. So if you have a chance to go somewhere else and you're doing it legally, then I don't, I don't think there's a problem with it."
One of the elements to Irving's argument about trade requests is that sometimes there are personal elements to the situations that get overlooked. With his situation on the Nets, he has expressed a sentiment that he was tolerated as opposed to being celebrated as he would in a different situation. If he can play elsewhere, especially before his impending free agency, why not?
"Again, the speculation and narratives is what makes this entertainment, kind of seem a little, more important or more priority than it actually is. Like it's my life. It's not just a dream that everybody can gossip about," Irving said. "I take it very serious and most of the work that I do doesn't get seen. So I don't know if it'll ever be truly appreciated, but all in all, when you work as hard as I do or anyone else at, at a specific profession, I feel like you should have the liberty and the freedom to go where you're wanted and where you celebrated and where you feel comfortable."
Irving made clear that he doesn't consider his previous situations as being bad, but he learned from them. Another part of Irving's answer included his belief regarding the importance of getting to know the people that run any given NBA organization since it's not a uniform approach among all 30 franchises. He sees differences in how ownership groups and front offices approach their business.
"So I wouldn't say any of my situations were bad. I just think they were lessons. growing within the business of the NBA and, and learning that every organization is different. ... I think people may group all the of the NBA teams as one general group, but it's individual organizations that are run completely different."
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