'I Don’t Love It': Draymond Green on Potentially Facing Mavs’ Luka-Kyrie Duo

As the Mavericks have big plans for the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving pairing, Warriors' Draymond Green knows it will be 'tough to guard.'

Michael Mulford | Feb 8, 2023

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The new tandem of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Dallas is already making the rest of the league sweat.

On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, Golden State's Draymond Green shared his thoughts on the trade, which he wasn't very fond of for his Warriors.

"I don't love it," Green said. "Reason I don't love it: that's very hard to stop. Very hard to stop."

The Mavericks acquired Irving and Markieff Morris on Sunday in a trade that sent Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and two future second-rounders to the Brooklyn Nets.

Green, who played against Doncic in last year's Western Conference Finals, and notably played against Irving’s Cleveland Cavaliers in four-straight NBA Finals from 2015-18, knows very well that Dallas' new duo is going to be almost impossible to defend.

"Everyone says 'Kyrie needs the ball. Luka needs the ball' -- that's true," Green said. "But Kyrie can actually spot shoot and Luka, as we already know, finding you. So, I don't love it from that standpoint."

Adding Irving alongside Doncic raises the Mavericks' overall ceiling and shoots the potential of their offensive capabilities to the moon. Giving Doncic another elite shotmaker and playmaker takes an immense load off his shoulders, which will help stretch opposing defenses thin … as well as keep Doncic fresh.

"I don't love it because that's going to be tough, tough, tough to guard."

Good luck, Draymond. Or not.

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Published Feb 8, 2023

MICHAEL MULFORD

Michael Mulford is a writer/editor for Dallas Basketball, where he extensively covers the Dallas Mavericks. He also covers the Chicago Bulls as the Managing Editor for Bulls Wire of USA Today Sports Media Group. Mulford grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Event, and Sports Management. He began his pursuit of sports writing in 2017 with Dallas Sports Fanatic, where he covered the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Texas Legends. He then became the Managing Editor of Dallas Sports Fanatic just one year later and has covered the Mavericks as a credentialed media member since 2018, including covering numerous playoff games between 2021-22 and covering the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in 2019. In his time covering the Mavericks, Mulford has conducted numerous interviews for exclusive stories including with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, former Maverick and current VP of Basketball Ops Michael Finley, former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, and more. You can follow and interact with Mulford on Twitter at @TheMulf.