Kyrie Irving’s $325,532 Gesture Backed by Jason Kidd as Mavs Star Lauds Teammates’ One Quality in Blazers Loss

The Dallas Mavericks hit a roadblock against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday at Moda Center. It was a rough ride for Jason Kidd’s squad as they were missing key players. A calf strain has sidelined Luka Doncic, and suspensions have sidelined three others after chaos against the Suns. But Kyrie Irving? He took charge. Dropping an insane 46 points, Kyrie showed Portland who’s boss. Still, the ghosts of their last game seem to haunt the Mavs wherever they go.

The absence of star players like Doncic and P.J. Washington posed a significant hurdle for Dallas, forcing them to rely heavily on Irving’s scoring prowess. But as you can guess, Kai’s heroics weren’t enough to stall the force of Shaedon Sharpe & Co. And, despite the loss and the odd drama that unfolded on Friday, the 1x champ is standing up for his team. As you know, two Mavericks P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall were ejected from the game after an altercation with Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic.

Speaking with Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic on Saturday, Kyrie Irving expressed his wishes to cover the fines for his teammates. But, at the time of Irving’s postgame conversation, officials hadn’t determined or declared the penalties. Nonetheless, Kai said: “I’ll take care of his (Marshall) fines, whoever’s watching. PJ’s (Washington) fines. Throw that sh*t under the rug, excuse my language.”

And now, the Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd has come forward to back his superstar’s honest camaraderie. He spoke to the media where he talked about Irving’s wishes for his teammate: “I think we have guys that are leaders who will pay fines for their teammates. We’ve seen P.J. in that position, protecting his teammate. It’s not about violence; it’s about making sure his family member is safe. Kai is one of our leaders, and I’ll stand behind his comments.”

The chaos erupted when Jusuf Nurkic elbowed Daniel Gafford, drawing an offensive foul. As Gafford hit the ground, Nurkic confronted Naji and P.J. after hearing a comment. Tensions flared—Marshall shoved Nurkic, who responded with a head smack, and Marshall landed a punch before officials intervened. So, if we were to go by the lines of protecting one’s family member, Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington did exactly that. Came in to rescue Daniel Gafford. However, was the altercation even needed in the first place? No.

Nonetheless, as you can guess, Kidd isn’t particularly trying to justify the actions, but focusing on the leadership role Kyrie Irving is willing to take for his teammates, even if it burns a $325,532 hole in his purse. On Saturday, the NBA handed down the penalties for the brawl that broke up in the Mavericks’ 98-89 win against the Suns. ESPN’s Bobby Marks gave the details of the fines on his X handle. Naji Marshall has to pay $59,113 per game (4-game suspension, $236,452 total). Meanwhile, P.J. Washington’s 1-game suspension will cost him $89,080.

Therefore, the total sums up to $325,532 and the 8x All-Star can pay with ease. After all with a $41 million a year contract and an overall $311 million empire, Kyrie Irving can give this little contribution to his teammates. But, amidst his kindhearted gesture, the 32-year-old hasn’t forgotten what they could’ve done to turn the tables against the Trail Blazers on Saturday.

Kyrie Irving weighs in on Dallas’ identity

The last time Kai and Co. were at Moda Center, they did so without their defense. They got a win, 137-131, but it was an absolute layup line for 48 minutes. Interestingly enough, this time was no different from the last, except for the loss of course. The Dallas Mavericks fell behind early in the game and let Portland get away with a win.

“We definitely could have done a better job keeping the game a lot closer,” Kyrie Irving said. “Getting down like that, I don’t want to say it’s characteristic for us, but we’re used to it to a certain degree to get out of holes like that and give ourselves a chance. Most teams would give up, especially on a back-to-back. But our identity is we don’t want to give up.”

The Blazers faced the Mavericks without head coach Chauncey Billups, who was away mourning his grandmother. In his absence, assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren took the reins. He praised the Mavericks, calling their resilience against a shorthanded roster nothing short of unstoppable—like Kryptonite for any other team.

Through chaos and setbacks, Kyrie Irving emerged as the Mavericks’ unyielding leader, standing by his teammates and their unity. Despite the loss to Portland, Dallas showcased their identity: resilience and grit, refusing to fold under pressure. Thus, with Irving’s determination and Kidd’s backing, the Mavericks’ spirit remains unshaken.