Dallas Mavericks fans are still reeling from the recent surprise loss of Luka Doncic.
Just weeks ago, people thought he would be a Maverick for life, and now he is playing for a totally different team and the franchise feels completely transformed.
Speaking to the press, Mavericks star Kyrie Irving spoke about the fans’ reaction to the Doncic trade and said their anger and grief are all a natural part of the NBA process.
“I think it’s graduated from just like hate to anger, the cycle of emotions. The hate, the anger, the grieving, and then the passion…I think it’s just part of the process of what we’re all dealing with, as not only players, but fans in Dallas,” Irving said, via Noah Weber.
Kyrie Irving on the reactions from fans since the Luka Doncic trade:
“I think it’s graduated from just like hate to anger, the cycle of emotions. The hate, the anger, the grieving, and then the passion…I think it’s just part of the process of what we’re all dealing with, as not… pic.twitter.com/j8yPtuFhOX
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) February 11, 2025
Irving spoke about his own experiences growing up and said he can relate to how outraged and hurt the fans were when Doncic was sent away.
To say that no one saw this coming is a complete understatement.
The Doncic trade wasn’t on anyone’s radar and was held completely in the dark between just Dallas general manager Nico Harrison and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.
But would fans have reacted differently if they had heard rumors before the trade was official?
This was such a massive move that they probably would have been upset no matter what, and Irving said that is to be expected.
The fans are devoted to the Mavericks and have been rooting them on for decades now.
Doncic was one of the most popular Dallas stars of all time and his career is still young.
The fact that he brought the team to the NBA Finals last year made this trade even more painful.
Irving totally understands why people are upset but thinks the process will naturally resolve itself.
People are very hurt right now, but they will adjust to this new normal and learn to support their team again soon.
NEXT: Brian Windhorst Reveals A Big Concern About The Mavericks
