Kyrie Irving has found tremendous ways to add to his opulence this summer. After signing a whopping shoe deal with the Chinese brand ANTA, the 31-year-old went on to sign another staggering contract with the Dallas Mavericks. His $126M deal will keep the 8-time All-Star in Dallas for the upcoming three seasons. However, the biggest concern for the Mavericks would be Irving’s controversial past.

Kyrie Irving has established his name among the greatest combo guards of this generation. However, his controversial reputation has always preceded him. Be it his disastrous Brooklyn Nets stint or his dramatic exit from the Boston Celtics, Irving has been at the forefront of controversy. It is this reputation that some analysts shared their concerns about, following his staggering deal with the Mavericks.

Can Kyrie Irving stay out of controversy?

After landing Irving in a blockbuster trade last season, the Mavericks did not hesitate to give him the bag this offseason. Naturally, the idea of pairing up a legendary ball-handler with their superstar guard, Luka Doncic seemed riveting. However, Irving’s controversial past may serve as a cause for concern for the franchise.

Over the years, Irving has gotten into several controversies that have costed him plenty. After the horror that the other franchises faced due to his actions, teams have turned skeptical about signing him. However, the Mavericks do not seem bothered by these risks. If not the Mavericks, seems like veteran analysts Chris Broussard and Rob Parker at least, are concerned about Irving’s antics. They expressed this very concern on their show recently.

“I think he’s a good person at heart. He’s made some bad decisions….the only thing I think people will be watching is now that he has his contract Chris, which is he going to be the guy who decides I don’t want to come in this week or something,” said Rob Parker. “He has the contract now. So is that gonna happen or is he going to be just a professional, come to work, do what he’s supposed to do and there’s none of that.”

To add to Parker’s claim, Broussard remarked, “As bad as it went last year on the court for the Mavericks once they got Kyrie, I think the bigger questions are not basketball related….is Kyrie going to be there for basically 75 games….or there going to be something that has happened in the past…”

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Kyrie Irving’s past troubles have evidently remained in the minds of basketball fans. The 31-year-old has constantly stirred up controversy, even on teams he seemed to be thriving in. However, his role on the Mavericks would require him to stay out of trouble for the foreseeable future. But can Irving manage to do that?

Uncle Drew has a tough task ahead

From his very first game with the Mavericks, the former NBA champion put his brilliance on display. However, his arrival did not change the franchise’s fate much.

Since Irving joined the team last season, the Mavericks slipped in the standings drastically, eventually falling out of playoff contention. His first few games with the Slovenian phenom, Luka Doncic too did not seem upto the mark. Eventually, the All-Star backcourt duo figured out ways to work together, although a little too late.

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Now, Irving and Doncic will have a herculean task to bring the Mavericks back into championship contention. Doncic especially, would be hungrier than ever for a championship run in the upcoming season. The biggest concern however, would be if Irving can keep his controversial reputation at bay.