Kyrie Irving in Potential Trouble as Shaquille O’Neal Reveals Mavs’ Weakness Despite Alleged Trade Win

When Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis swapped teams, all eyes were on how they’d fit in their new environments. But one overlooked consequence? Kyrie Irving is now the Mavericks’ undisputed floor general. Without Luka orchestrating the offense, Irving will have to step up, control the tempo, and dictate plays. Sounds good, right? Well, HoF Shaquille O’Neal has a different take.

So what’s Shaq’s concern? “My only concern is, this is no disrespect to Kyrie, but Kyrie flourishes when he’s off the ball. Now, you make him the main guy. He has to make all the decisions. He has to handle the ball more,” Shaq said on Inside the NBA. “You know, history tells us that when he’s the number two guy and off the ball, he definitely flourishes more.”

Still, while Shaquille O’Neal remains skeptical, the numbers paint a solid picture. In his second season with Dallas, Irving is averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. And it’s not just stats backing him up—LeBron James recently showed love for his former teammate, reposting a clip of Irving’s mesmerizing handles with nothing but admiration.

Not just LeBron, but NBA legend Allen Iverson also had high praise for Irving. While speaking on The Big Podcast, Iverson didn’t hold back. “He got the best,” Iverson said about Kyrie’s handles. “Kyrie will have you beat, and then bring it back and play with it. He’s toying with people, you know what I mean? He can still just go, but if he feels like playing with you…”

However, unlike Iverson, Big Shaq isn’t sold on Kyrie’s ability to run the show. For O’Neal, there’s a difference between flashy handles and making the right decisions as the main guy.

Shaq’s take on Irving as best ball handler

The debate over the best dribbler in NBA history has always been a subjective one. At first, names like Jason Williams and Allen Iverson dominated the conversation. But in recent years, Kyrie Irving has forced his way into that elite list. While many fans and analysts praise his versatility, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t completely sold.

During The Big Podcast, Allen Iverson wasted no time in crowning Kyrie as the best. However, Shaq wasn’t ready to hand over that title just yet. He quickly brought up Jason Williams—aka White Chocolate—asking, “So where’s my boy falling into that, the White Chocolate?” Then, he doubled down, insisting, “That’s what I would say had the best handles ever.” Clearly, Shaq sees Williams as the true king of dribbling magic.

The conversation didn’t stop there. The crew also threw Stephen Curry’s name into the mix. While Shaq didn’t push too hard for Steph, the group acknowledged that Williams’ flashy passes were often what made him stand out. As for Curry, Iverson made a key distinction—his deadliest weapon is his jumper, not his dribble. Unlike Kyrie, Steph doesn’t rely on handles to create separation.

However, when it came to Kyrie, the group couldn’t deny his wizardry with the ball. His dribble package lets him weave through defenses effortlessly, leaving defenders helpless. Over the past decade, he’s consistently showcased his handles in clutch moments, proving he’s more than just a flashy dribbler. While the debate will rage on, one thing is certain—Kyrie is in a league of his own.