Kyrie Irving 'Happy' to Be Back with Mavs, Says Dallas Was No. 1 on His NBA FA List

It was Dallas Mavericks or bust for Kyrie Irving this summer.

Speaking for the first time since re-signing with the Mavericks on a three-year, $126 million deal, Irving said after Thursday's practice that remaining in Dallas was his top priority in free agency.

Irving said, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon:

"It wasn't too difficult of a process. Had Dallas as number one on my list. Obviously I looked elsewhere -- salary cap opportunities, where I could fit in with other guys around the league -- but there just wasn't much space. And me being 31 now, I had to have a different vantage point, and I felt like I could not just settle here but be happy to come back here and be welcomed back with a warm embrace."

"So I took everything into account. I took my time a few days before free agency just to be with my family, gauge how they felt about being in Dallas alongside me. And everybody was excited. I mean, even when I got traded here, midseason, a lot of my family was excited and they were just looking forward to me having a peace of mind just on the court and off the court. I had already dealt with enough past season or the past two seasons, so they knew that I just wanted a lot of that off my back and off my shoulders of feeling like I had to be Superman or I had to be perfect. I just wanted to be myself. And then going on the last few years, just figuring myself out. So I think this is the best place to do it and continue to mature and grow as a man."

Irving joined the Mavericks in a trade from the Brooklyn Nets last season and he was impressive in his short stint with the franchise to close out the 2022-23 campaign despite missing time due to injury.

In 20 games with the Mavs last season, Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting 51.0 percent from the floor and 39.2 percent from beyond the arc.

While he was impressive individually, Dallas acquired Irving with the intention that he and Luka Dončić would make the team a title contender. Instead, the Mavericks sputtered out of the Western Conference playoff race and missed the postseason for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign.

Irving and Dončić enter the 2023-24 season having an entire training camp and preseason to work on their chemistry, and the latter thinks the duo will be much better this year thanks to the additional practice.

"I mean better for sure," Doncic said of his chemistry with Irving on Wednesday, per MacMahon. "He came in the middle of the season last year, and we didn't have much time. We went straight to playing games. It takes time to do chemistry, especially on the court, so we didn't have the whole training camp and then I mean the preseason too. So I think it's going to be way better."

The Mavericks should also be improved following the addition of Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics this summer. He's expected to be inserted into the starting lineup and should make an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.

Dallas opens the season on Oct. 25 against the San Antonio Spurs, and all eyes will be on the duo of Irving and Dončić to see if they can lead the Mavericks back to prominence.