Kyrie Irving is glad to make a new start with the Dallas Mavericks after engineering a move away from the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving met with the media for the first time since the deal on Tuesday, saying he was ¡°very disrespected¡± by his former team.

¡°I just know I want to be places where I¡¯m celebrated and not just tolerated or just kind of dealt with in a way that doesn¡¯t make me feel respected,¡± Irving said a day before the Mavericks¡¯ road game against the Los Angeles Clippers. ¡°There were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn where I felt very disrespected and my talent ¡ª I work extremely hard at what I do. No one ever talks about my work ethic, though.

¡°Everyone talks about what I¡¯m doing off the floor, so I just wanted to change that narrative, write my own story and just continue preparing in the gym, and now that I¡¯m in Dallas, just focus on what I control.¡±

Asked to elaborate on how the Nets disrespected him, Irving replied he saw insufficient ¡°transparency and honesty from people in the front office.¡±

Last week, Irving demanded a trade away from Brooklyn, and the Nets obliged, dealing him and Markieff Morris to the Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round draft pick and two second-round picks.

¡°I wish them well,¡± Irving said of the Nets. ¡°I left them in fourth place. I did what I was supposed to do, took care of my teammates, was incredibly selfless in my approach to leading, and I just want to do all the right things for myself ¡ª not to appease anybody that had something negative to say about me or judge me. This basketball game ¡ª just, it¡¯s fun, and I want to keep it that way.¡±

Irving is looking forward to teaming with Mavericks star Luka Doncic, though both of them are ball-dominant guards.

¡°It¡¯s still a wait and see, but I think me as a hooper, me as a basketball player, am I worried about us coexisting and finding cohesion, no,¡± Irving said. ¡°So as much as I can alleviate for him, as much as I can lead alongside him, willing to do, but there¡¯s no pressure here. Nothing¡¯s forced with me and him. I just want to play basketball and enjoy his talent and enjoy my teammates¡¯ talent and work towards a championship.¡±

Irving, 30, averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 40 games for the Nets this season. The eight-time All-Star won an NBA championship alongside LeBron James with the Cavaliers in 2016.