Irving debuts in Dallas not wanting to talk about future

Kyrie Irving isn’t interested in talking about what his long-term future could be with the Dallas Mavericks, and he doesn’t understand why people don’t think he can play well off the ball.

“All I know, this is really playing basketball with a lot of high- level, highIQ players and making it work,” Irving said before his first home game Monday with the Mavericks and All- Star teammate Luka Doncic. “Every single time I step foot out there, I get a chance to prove it to myself that I can play with anybody and everybody and still be efficient and be myself.”

Irving’s home debut in Dallas came a week after the blockbuster deal became official to bring the potential free agent from the Brooklyn Nets. His first three games with the Mavericks were on the road, and he played with Doncic for the first time Saturday night — Irving had 28 points and Doncic 27 in an overtime loss at Sacramento.

As for what happens after this season, the talented and enigmatic eighttime All- Star said that question constantly getting asked just puts unwanted distractions on him and the team.

“I’ve dealt with it before and it’s very emotionally draining to ask questions about what’s the long term,” Irving said. “What the future holds is really only going to be dictated on what I do right now, and how I prepare for those next steps, and that’s being the best teammate that I can in that locker room and a great leader out here, I think within the Dallas community. ... So we’re just putting that to bed and just focus on what we have ahead as a team.”

The Mavericks, with 23 games remaining after Monday night’s game against Minnesota, are part of a crowded mix for a playoff spot. They went into the game fourth in the Western Conference, only three games ahead of 11th place — the first spot left out of the postseason.

When Dallas general manager Nico Harrison was asked his response to people who viewed the acquisition of Irving and his expiring contract as a risk, the former Nike executive, who already had a relationship with the player, said that wasn’t the case.

“I don’t see any risk involved at all. I’ve known Kyrie for a long time, I know his core, I know what type of person is. I think anybody who’s ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is,” Harrison said. “So I don’t see risk. I actually see a risk in not doing it.”