Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks are looking to rebound after their shocking end to the 2022-23 season in which they missed the Play In tournament altogether. Irving was traded to the Mavericks midway through last season in order to give star Luka Doncic a much-needed secondary scorer, and the Mavs are hoping that a full offseason will be enough for the duo to figure out how to win together.

Recently, Irving got candid about his other roles with the Mavs, which include being a leader for some of the younger faces in the Dallas locker room.

“For me, the accolades, success and the businesses are incredible but I’m here to lead these guys in a different way they haven’t been led before,” said Irving, per Landon Thomas of Mavs Fans For Life.

Kyrie Irving has been one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA ever since he entered the league over a decade ago. However, in recent seasons, his career has been defined more so by bizarre absences and playoff disappointments than on-court triumphs. Irving has always been at his most lethal when his job is simply to score the basketball and let everyone else handle the rest, as was the case when he was teammates with LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Mavs are hoping that Irving can create a similar one-two punch with Luka Doncic, who was unable to get much support prior to Irving's arrival following the departure of Jalen Brunson.

The Mavs tip off their season on October 25 against the San Antonio Spurs.