"Fans wanna change places, then hey, be my guest"- Kyrie Irving fires back at Mavericks fans after crushing loss to Hornets

Kyrie Irving fired back at Dallas Mavericks fans after their crushing loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday (Mar. 24). The Mavericks were booed by their own fans after falling out of the play-in spots after the 117-109 defeat to the short-handed Hornets.

In his postgame interview, Irving was asked about the boos from the crowd inside the American Airlines Center. It was a disappointing loss for the Mavs, considering Charlotte did not have three of their best players on the floor.

"You obviously want to play well, but you it's only five people on the court that can play for Dallas Mavericks," Irving said. "If the fans wanna change places, then hey, be my guest. Got years of work ahead to be great enough to be on this level."

Kyrie Irving was visibly frustrated with the results, just like the entire team and city. However, Irving also struggled with his shooting on Friday despite finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He went 6-for-16 from the floor, including an abysmal 1-for-8 from beyond the arc.

The Charlotte Hornets were up big at the start of the third quarter before the Dallas Mavericks made a comeback in the final frame, but the Mavs' run fell short as they moved down the Western Conference.

Dallas is now 36-38 and out of the play-in tournament spots at No. 11. They're behind the LA Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and OKC Thunder by just 0.5 games, and are ahead of the Utah Jazz by the same margin.

The Mavs face the Hornets again on Sunday (Mar. 26) to start a very important five-game road trip. They're also going up against the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. They will end the regular season with three games at home.

---

Will Kyrie Irving re-sign with Dallas Mavericks?

Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Irving was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets before the trade deadline, and it would be disappointing for the Mavs if the eight-time All-Star ends up as a rental.

While Irving has been great for the Mavericks, they're out of the play-in spots. It would be a tragedy for Dallas if they miss the postseason given their run to the Western Conference finals last season.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are open to signing Irving to a new contract. However, it could depend on how the season pans out, and Irving's recent response to Mavs fans is never a good sign.