After trading for Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets last season, the Mavs‘ front office thought they would qualify for the playoffs with ease. However, they failed to qualify for the play-in tournament, as superstar Luka Doncic looked unhappy with the season overall. Mavs received a massive fine for benching most of their star players in the final game of the regular season, despite being still in contention for the play-in tournament.

With the new season inching closer, the Mavs made a big move in the free agency, as they brought back Irving on a 3-year deal for nearly $126 million. Also, the lack of suitors for the former Nets player helped the Mavs sign him. Meanwhile, the owner of the Mavs, Mark Cuban, has already sent a stern message to Irving regarding his position on the team, before the 2023-24 season starts.

Mark Cuban’s stern message to Kyrie Irving about Luka Doncic

During the recent Summer League campaign, Cuban talked to NBA Radio, where he said, “I think Kyrie is mature to the point now where he knows it’s Luka’s team. Lucas knows this. He knows, and that’s what’s important, and he’s willing to play more of a shooting guard role.”

Speaking about his role in the team, Cuban further said, “When Luka is out, we have a point guard who can score and create for other guys. They’re both players who make their teammates better, and we didn’t have that before.”

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Notably, there were plenty of rumors about Irving joining the Lakers this offseason. Many experts suggested that LeBron James’ contract may have played a part in Irving’s decision to stay with the Mavs. Moreover, many blamed Irving for the Mavs’ downfall last season. Certainly, this could be a season for him to prove his doubters wrong, as he and Doncic could form a formidable offensive duo.

Mavs’ defense is a big concern

Although the Mavs had both Doncic and Irving, arguably two of the most talented offensive duos in the league right now, they failed on the defensive end. Speaking about their defensive struggles last season, Cuban said, “We did struggle defensively after the trade but that was for a lot of reasons. It wasn’t Luka or Kyrie…”

Interestingly, he did not blame Irving or Doncic for their struggles last season; instead, he believes that they have arguably the top two or three offenses in the league. It will be interesting to see their offense this season with Doncic leading the pack. On the other hand, they need to up their game defensively if they want to qualify for the playoffs.

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Will the Mavs qualify for the playoffs next season? Let us know in the comments.