Photo: Dallas Mavericks/YouTube

Kyrie Irving expressed his gratitude for being traded to the Dallas Mavericks during a postgame interview following their win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reflecting on the move that brought him to Dallas two years ago, Irving declared, “Best trade in the business, baby. We won that trade! We won that trade! I was bad goods,” as reported by Noah Weber.

The trade, which initially faced scrutiny, has proven to be pivotal for Dallas despite a rocky start. In Irving’s first season with the Mavericks, the team failed to qualify for the Play-In Tournament. However, Dallas turned things around last season, reaching the NBA Finals before falling to the Boston Celtics.

This season, the Mavericks are navigating challenges, including the absence of Luka Doncic, who is sidelined with a calf injury. Despite this, Dallas holds a 23-19 record, placing them seventh in the Western Conference.

Irving has been instrumental in keeping the team competitive, averaging 23.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while playing 35.5 minutes per game.