Kyrie Irving didn’t wait long to make it clear what he thinks of Sergio De Larrea.
After Dallas’ first training camp practice on Saturday, Irving had plenty of praise for the rookie guard, who was one of two first-round picks the Mavericks brought in this year. De Larrea went 25th overall, while Morez Johnson Jr. came off the board at No. 9.
For Dallas, Johnson was the more surprising name in the mix, especially with the frontcourt already crowded. But the Mavericks clearly believe his defensive edge can matter right away, especially if they want to experiment with smaller, more versatile lineups.
De Larrea, though, is the one who could shape the long-term picture in the backcourt. Dallas has been hunting for answers there since trading away Luka Doncic, and while Kyrie Irving was part of the solution, his ACL tear a month after that move wiped out his season.
Irving is expected back this year, and he sounded eager to help the rookie along the way.
"He’s a high-IQ player already. He’s a winner, comes from a winning franchise overseas, and you can tell that he’s thirsty for knowledge," Irving said after the first training camp practice on Saturday.
"That's what you want in a young guy. He's very tall for his size...
Part of him is just adjusting to the physicality, adjusting to the pace, quickness, and I think he'll be fine. He's going to be learning on the fly like a lot of our young guys, but he can always lean on me...
We're rooting for him, he works his butt off, and that's all you gotta do."
Irving also described De Larrea as the “perfect” teammate to learn from and said he had already given him "a thousand dollars…"
At 6'6" on the Mavericks’ training camp roster, De Larrea fits the kind of size teams want from a guard now. He brings length, versatility, and the kind of passing touch that suggests he spent a lot of time watching Luka Doncic during his Real Madrid days. The scoring, though, is still going to take time to catch up.
That’s part of the issue in Dallas right now. The Mavericks do have Irving back in the mix, but beyond him the backcourt picture is thin.
De Larrea and Marcus Sasser are the other names there, and Sasser arrived from the Detroit Pistons in what was essentially a salary dump. He has shown flashes, but not yet the kind of consistency teams can count on.
De Larrea looked promising in NBA Summer League, especially as a passer, but the leap to the NBA’s physicality is still a major hurdle.
That leaves new head coach Dusty May with some decisions to make early. The point guard rotation will be worth watching from the start, and it would not be a surprise if Irving sits out the second game of a back-to-back as he works his way back from the ACL injury.
In Other News...
Kyrie Irving Just Framed What Comes Next For The Mavericks
With a new general manager and head coach in place, the Mavericks are trying to settle into a new era while juggling one of the trickier roster dynamics in the league: the age gap between Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. That makes Irving a central figure in everything Dallas does, not just because of his place in the lineup, but because his presence helps define how quickly the team can push toward contention.
The trade chatter around Irving has not gone away, even with Dallas holding firm on offers so far. Irving has signaled that he wants to stay part of the plan, and the front office has been operating with that in mind, but the longer the speculation lingers, the more important his stance becomes for what comes next in Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Just Took On One Big Question With Former Top Pick
Zaccharie Risachers arrival in Dallas adds another layer to a roster that is still taking shape, and it comes with the kind of scrutiny that follows any former top pick. The Mavericks landed him from Atlanta in the deal that sent Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick the other way, and now the 20-year-old forward is stepping into training camp trying to settle into a new place while carrying the label that has followed him since draft night.
Risacher has already talked about the pressure that comes with being selected first overall, and that alone makes his first run with the Mavericks worth watching. For Dallas, the question is not just whether he can fit in on the floor, but how he handles the expectations that come with a move that changed his path again before he had much time to find his footing in Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irving Just Sent A Strong Message About His Mavericks Return
Kyrie Irving used the Mavericks preseason media day to put a firm stamp on where he stands heading into his return, saying he is ready to get back on the floor after a long rehab process. After 19 months away, the veteran guard is entering his 16th NBA season with the kind of confidence Dallas wanted to hear as it opens another campaign around him.
The bigger takeaway for the Mavericks is not just that Irving is back, but that the organization believes he is ready to compete at a high level again. Dallas has spent the offseason waiting on clarity about one of its most important players, and Irvings message offered it, even if the first real test will come once preseason action begins. [Read more 🡒]