Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers

The NBA trade deadline hits at 3 pm Eastern Standard Time in Thursday, and it appears that future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, a 14-time All-Star who ranks eighth all-time in points scored — second among active players only to Lebron James — will remain a member of the Phoenix Suns.

Kyrie Irving sat side by side with Luka Doncic on May 18 for a joint news conference after eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Western Conference semifinals. The superstars showered each other with praise and adoration.