After a chaotic 18 months, Irving returned to training camp with a strong message about his commitment to the Mavericks.
The first day of training camp brought Kyrie Irving back in front of reporters and he used the opportunity to say two things clearly. The last year and a half has been messy and he still wants to be in Dallas.
Irving did not pretend otherwise on the first point.
"I'm not gonna shy away from saying it's been a little chaotic at times, inside the locker room as well as outside," he said.
Few players would have a better vantage point on that. Irving tore his ACL in March 2025 and has not appeared in a game since, meaning he experienced the franchise's collapse largely as an observer. The roster changed repeatedly around him, the coaching staff and front office were both replaced and the team finished 26-56. Whatever turbulence existed, he was in the building for all of it without being able to affect any of it on the floor.
His affection for the city came through just as plainly.
"I'm in love with this place just because of how welcoming it was, not just from the franchise aspect but also the fans, lot of support around the city," Irving said.
Irving has played for five franchises across his career and the endings have not always been smooth. Dallas has been different. He arrived at a moment when his reputation needed rehabilitating and found a place willing to judge him on what he did rather than what had been said about him. The 2024 run to the Finals cemented it and by all accounts he became one of the more respected figures in that locker room.
He then pointed toward what comes next.
"We're building something," Irving said. "Having that championship mindset that whatever we face we can deal with."
That phrasing describes a roster in transition more than a finished product. Dallas remade itself over the summer and the group Irving is joining includes several players who have never shared a floor with him or each other. A veteran with his résumé setting the standard early carries real weight in that environment.
The specifics of his own future remain unresolved and they largely depend on things outside his control. Irving turns 35 in March. He holds a player option for the 2027-28 season. The trade deadline arrives in February and the front office will make decisions based on where this team sits in the standings.
