Luka Dončić Says Playing With Kyrie Irving Will ‘Be a Learning Process’

The Dallas star gave his initial thoughts on the trade for the point guard.

The Mavericks made the a big splash before the NBA trade deadline, acquiring Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris last Sunday for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and picks. The move gives Dallas a star to pair with Luka Dončić for the rest of the season in an attempt to make a run at an NBA Finals.

Dallas is 2–0 with Irving in the lineup, despite the fact Dončić has missed those games with a heel injury. After the Mavericks’ win over the Kings, Dončić explained that he is happy Dallas made the move, even if it cost them two solid players in Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith.

“We’ll obviously miss them here, but Kyrie’s Kyrie, man,” Dončić said, via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “NBA champion. Probably the best ball handler ever in the game. Amazing player, and he’s going to be fun to play with.”

Statistically, Irving will be the best player to play alongside Dončić since Dallas drafted the Slovenian in the 2018 draft. Coach Jason Kidd already said that the team will still play around Dončić despite Irving’s talent.

Still, the Mavericks will probably give Dončić more off-ball opportunities, as they now have a point guard who can come close to matching Dončić’s talent level.

“I never played with a guy like Kyrie, so it’s obviously going to be a work in progress,” Dončić said. “But I think it’s going to be fine. We both can play on the ball. For me, I think it’s going to be a learning process, for sure. Outside of my first season, I didn’t play off the ball. But with a guy like him it’s going to be different.”

While Irving’s addition is meant to be a pair with Dončić to compete with the rest of the NBA’s powerhouses, it helps that he can carry a team by himself if necessary. This season, the Mavericks were 0–7 without Dončić before making the deal for Irving, and they are 3–0 without their star since the deal, two of those wins with Irving in the lineup.

Dončić should return soon, allowing him to build chemistry with his new running mate and prepare for a playoff run. It may take some time, but the Mavericks star believes they can be more dynamic.