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NBA: Kyrie Irving happy to be back in 'warm embrace' of Mavericks

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Dallas" Kyrie="" Irving="" in="" action="" with="" Paul="" George="" this="" February="" file="" photo.="" David="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/09/29/kyrie-irving-paul-george-epa-09292023.jpg"/><figcaption>Dallas&#x27; Kyrie Irving (2) in action with LA&#x27;s Paul George (13) in this February 8, 2023 file photo. David Swanson, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div> Eight-time NBA All-Star guard Kyrie Irving said Thursday it was a relatively easy decision to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks after briefly exploring free agency.Irving, speaking to reporters for the first time since the final week of last season, said Dallas just felt like a good fit, despite the fact that he and teammate Luka Doncic didn&#x27;t immediately gel when he arrived via a mid-season trade from Brooklyn in February.A free agent at the end of last season, he inked a three-year, $126-million deal with the Mavs in June.&quot;Had Dallas as number one on my list,&quot; Irving said. &quot;Obviously I looked elsewhere -- salary cap opportunities, where I could fit in with other guys around the league -- but there just wasn&#x27;t much space.&quot;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.&quot;Irving said his family backed the move, believing it would give him &quot;peace of mind on the court and off the court.&quot;&quot;I had already dealt with enough (the) 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,&quot; he said. &quot;I just wanted to be myself.&quot;Irving, who won an NBA title with Cleveland in 2016, arrived in Dallas after four seasons in Brooklyn, where he missed dozens of games after refusing to be vaccinated for Covid-19 and was last season suspended after a social media post referencing a film that contained anti-Semitic themes.In 20 games with the Mavs last season, Irving averaged 27 points, five rebounds and six assists while shooting 51% from the floor.However, he and Slovenian star Doncic never emerged as a tight tandem threat. They both battled injuries as the Mavs faded late, the team going 5-11 in games in which they were in the lineup together.Irving said he thought he and Doncic were &quot;too passive&quot; when playing together. Doncic said Wednesday he thought a full training camp and pre-season together would improve their chemistry.&quot;It takes time to build chemistry, especially on the court,&quot; Doncic said. &quot;We&#x27;ll have the whole training camp and pre-season, so I think it&#x27;s going to be way better.&quot;<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Eight-time NBA All-Star guard Kyrie Irving said Thursday it was a relatively easy decision to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks after briefly exploring free agency.