The Nets started the season with two of the league’s best players on their roster, and in a span of only five days, they moved off of both of them.
The tumultuous Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn ended Sunday when the organization traded the star point guard to the Dallas Mavericks. In hindsight, the Irving deal signaled the beginning of the end with the Nets for Kevin Durant, who was traded to the Phoenix Suns roughly 14 hours before the NBA’s trade deadline.
Irving made his Mavs debut Wednesday, and after scoring a game-high 24 points in a Dallas win over the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com arena, the eight-time All-Star weighed in on his now-former teammate’s move to Phoenix.
“I’m just praying for his happiness and praying for his wellbeing,” Irving told reporters, per a clip shared by the Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend. “We had a lot of conversations throughout the year about what our futures were going to look like. There was still a level of uncertainty, but we just cared about seeing each other be places that we could thrive whether that be together or whether that be apart. There’s never been one moment where I felt like he’s been angry at me for the decisions I’ve made or I was angry at him. We just tried to understand each other a lot better and grow as human beings, grow as brothers.
“This business changes so quickly. He’s getting a little bit older, I’m getting a little bit older. I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference and I welcome all of that. I get to see him a little bit more probably, playing against Phoenix a lot more. That’s what I’m looking forward to. Everything else in the in-between — I’m just glad he got out of there.”
Irving and Durant are set to have their first head-to-head battle with their new teams March 5 when the Suns visit the Mavericks.
