By Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving says he is in the “grieving process” after the shock news over the weekend that the team had traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In one of the most stunning trades in league history, the Mavericks sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round draft pick.
And speaking after Dallas’ loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, Irving admitted that he was “really shocked” when he found out the news of the trade, much like the majority of the NBA community.
“You just don’t imagine you’re going to get ready to go to sleep and then you find out news like that,” Irving told reporters after scoring 34 points in 42 minutes in the 118-116 loss to the 76ers. “It’s still a grieving process right now. I miss my hermano (“brother” in Spanish).
“We had a lot of time together, (Markieff Morris) too and Maxi (Kleber) and we just built some bonds that went beyond the basketball court. So if anyone can understand at home, so if someone or a few people leave in a trade, it’s going to be difficult and that’s what we’re dealing with now.”
Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, who was at Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia, every question posed to Irving focused on the Dončić trade and none were asked about the defeat.
Irving went on to explain that he had dreamed of playing with Davis back in 2018 when he was with the Boston Celtics, as well as bringing Kevin Durant to Massachusetts, but it never materialized.
The 32-year-old also acknowledged that, while the trade was shocking, it’s also part of life in the NBA.
“It’s way above my pay grade, and I’ve just got to adjust and be ready to welcome in my new teammates with open arms and kind of be ready to go back to Dallas, too, to speak in front of our fans,” Irving said.
“I know they are feeling it, too. I’m feeling it too, guys. So, yeah, it’s just an adjustment period. I don’t want to downplay this either, or disrespect our new guys. They’re going to help us win, and help us build toward a championship, but just like everyone else at home, when you kind of see it from afar, it hurts.”
He added: “This is a weird case in NBA history to be a part of, but at the same time it’s the nature of our business, and it is a ruthless business. So you’ve got to be ready to pick up the pieces and run towards the championship. That’s the ultimate goal and why I play, and having other guys that are championship winners too helps.
“But at the same time, we still have to acknowledge our little Slovenian president is no longer here, and we’ve got to adjust.”
After Tuesday’s defeat, the Mavericks have a 26-25 record and sit outside the Western Conference playoff spots.
At his Lakers introductory press conference, Dončić admitted he was also stunned by the trade.
“Everyone was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,” the Slovenian said. “I was almost asleep. So when I got a call, I had to check (whether) it was April 1, I didn’t really believe it at first.
“It was a big shock. It was hard moments for me. (Dallas) was home, so it was really hard moments for me, especially the first day.”
