Kyrie Irving just made his next team overwhelmingly clear before Mavericks decision

Ever since the NBA Draft Lottery on May 12, when the Dallas Mavericks won the right to draft Cooper Flagg later this month, their main priority has turned into drafting Flagg with the first pick on Wednesday and taking all of the necessary steps to get there. Outside of that, they have an upcoming Kyrie Irving situation that they will have an answer to very shortly.

Irving has until tomorrow to decide if he wants to activate his $42.96 million player option for next season. If he opts out of his player option, he will become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with whatever team he pleases. As of now, it remains unclear what Irving will do, but his next team is as clear as day.

Mavericks fans remain scarred from the Luka Doncic trade, and they'd be crushed if Irving were to leave in free agency, but that doesn't look like it will be the case this offseason. In a recent interview with Irving, all signs are pointing to him coming back. Regardless of whether he opts into the final year of his contract or opts out and elects to pursue a new deal with Dallas.

Kyrie Irving clearly wants to remain with Mavericks

Before Game 7 of the NBA Finals last night between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Irving was interviewed by the NBA TV crew, and he made it clear that he doesn't plan on going anywhere this summer, and he is excited about the future that he has ahead of him in Dallas.

"It's an exciting time to be a Dallas Maverick," Irving said. "It's an exciting time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan. Shoutout to MFFL, all of the supporters that have been rocking with us."

Irving continued to talk about how the Mavs "have the chance to do something special" next season after landing the first pick, and he says he can feel the excitement from the city of Dallas, his teammates, executives, and the ownership group. If Irving planned on leaving the Mavericks this summer, he wouldn't have been using the term "we" (referring to the Mavericks) as much as he did, and fans will be thrilled when watching this short Irving interview.

During the entire interview, Irving seemed fully locked in on ensuring that his Mavericks journey is just getting started, and he is ready to embrace whatever challenges are thrown his way in the future. Irving made it clear that he embraces being one of the leaders on the squad, and despite him missing the first few months of next season due to his ACL tear, he will likely be around often to support his teammates as they try to climb the mountain and return to the NBA Finals.

Even before the season ended, it didn't look like Irving was going to leave the Mavericks in free agency, and everything that has happened since then further justifies that.

Irving is speaking confidently about his future with the Mavericks, and as he said, they are going to have the chance to be dangerous. Once Irving gets healthy, they can trot out a lineup that includes Irving, Flagg, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II, and a starting lineup like that should have the rest of the league shaking in their boots.

Irving knows how talented the roster around him is, and even if he does opt out of his player option, it's clear that his next team will be the Dallas Mavericks.