The Dallas Mavericks avoided a game six against the Minnesota Timberwolves after winning the series with a 124-103 victory in game five. With the win, the Dallas Mavericks have advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 to take on the Boston Celtics. If the Mavericks can win the title, will it impact Kyrie Irving‘s legacy?
To answer that question, we will have to look at the narrative that was surrounding Irving before this season, as well as his history with other teams. Then we will be able to see if winning this title will change the narrative and if it will change Irving’s legacy for the better.
How Winning a Title Will Change Kyrie Irving’s Legacy
Kyrie Irving’s History
Kyrie Irving began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first pick in the 2011 draft. For three straight years he was the guy in Cleveland and was one of the better rising young stars in the NBA during that time. After missing the playoffs in all three years Irving was there, LeBron James decided on leaving the Miami Heat to come back home to fulfill his promise of winning a championship in Cleveland. LeBron and Kyrie played together for three years making it to the NBA Finals each season, and winning the NBA championship in 2016.
Kyrie was setting himself up to have a great career with many Finals appearances, and having multiple rings playing alongside LeBron James. However, he didn’t want to be the second guy, he wanted to be the guy. After year three, in the 2017 offseason, Irving forced his way out of Cleveland and was traded to the Boston Celtics.
The Steady Decline of Kyrie Irving
Irving joined Boston’s young core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He only spent three years in Boston from 2017-2019. However, his tenure in the beginning was good. In 2018, the Celtics made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the Cavaliers in game 7—all without Irving. After that, it was all a steady decline. His play on the court never faded, but things took a turn off the court. It seemed like his focus wasn’t on basketball anymore. He eventually left the Celtics in 2019 and signed a four-year $141 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets to play alongside Kevin Durant—after telling Celtics fans, “If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here next year.”
The Historic Failure of the Brooklyn Nets
His tenure with the Brooklyn Nets did not go well, either. He only played for them for four years, and eventually demanded another trade. The Nets even traded for James Harden to form a big three, and they still couldn’t even make the Eastern Conference Finals. It was one of the worse big threes in NBA history. During his time with the Nets, Irving had more off-court problems, from his controversial antisemitic social media post, which led to a suspension by the NBA, to refusing to get a Covid vaccination.
The Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks at the 2023 trade deadline. He went from setting himself up to have a great career to being one of the worse stars in the league. It seemed at any moment, he could force his way out of an organization. Then, there were his off-the-court issues, where his focus has seemed to be elsewhere instead of playing basketball. He was labeled as a guy who will never win another ring. Others said his best years where playing alongside LeBron and that he should have never left LeBron and the Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving’s legacy was heading to a bad spot.
Kyrie Irving’s Tenure With The Dallas Mavericks
When Irving went to the Mavericks, everybody thought it wouldn’t work, since he and Luka Doncic are both ball-dominant players. The first year did not pan out, as they missed the playoffs after trading for Irving. Since Kyrie’s contract was up, everyone thought he would leave the Mavericks. However, he chose to stay, signing a three-year $126 million deal. This year for Irving and the Mavericks have been completely different. He became a great leader for the Mavericks, and has been playing the best basketball of his career since leaving Cleveland. His focus seems to me more on basketball than it ever has been, and there hasn’t been any off-the-court problems.
The Last Word on Kyrie Irving’s Legacy
To answer the question on if winning a title will change Kyrie Irving’s legacy, even if he doesn’t, it seems like he already has. With his tenure’s with the Cavaliers, Boston, and Brooklyn, he forced his way out. He had a bunch of off-the-court issues, and he was a player no one thought you could win with anymore. With the Mavericks, all of those things that once labeled him haven’t happened. He has changed all of those narratives with how he has played this year, and brought this young Dallas team to the NBA Finals. This is the first time Irving has played in a Conference Finals and NBA Finals since 2017 with the Cavaliers—a place no one thought Irving would get to again.
If Irving and the Mavericks can win the Finals, it will improve his narrative and legacy even more, especially with it being against the Celtics. However, after this year and the improvements he has made, winning a championship isn’t a necessity anymore to change the narrative on him. He has already done that this year by getting the Mavericks to the Finals.
