Mavs Irving Free Agency Details: ‘It’s Not Kyrie Or Bust’
DALLAS — The top offseason priority for the Dallas Mavericks is retaining the services of Kyrie Irving, who is set to enter unrestricted free agency. With the NBA playoffs having yet to start, there is surely a long time before major developments will transpire in the situation.
"I want him to stay for sure and I think we have a good shot," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said of Irving. "I think he's happy here. He tells me he's happy here. All I can tell you is everything I thought I knew about Kyrie because of everything I read is 100 percent wrong."
After trading away Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick, and multiple second round selections, it's essential for the Mavs to keep 31-year-old Irving. Otherwise, they must at least facilitate a sign-and-trade in order to not be left empty handed as they were with Jalen Brunson's departure last summer.
“I don’t see any risk involved at all," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said of trading for Irving in February. "I’ve known Kyrie for a long time, I know his core, I know what what type of person is. I think anybody who’s ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is.
"So I don’t see risk. I actually see a risk in not doing it.”
Since acquiring Irving via trade, the Mavs have been eligible to sign him to a two-year contract extension worth $83 million. Given Irving's desire to sign a long-term deal and the inaction toward such an outcome, a long deal would surely be required to be reached. He is eligible to sign a deal that spans as long as five-years worth up to $272.9 million. If he signed elsewhere, the most he could sign for is on a four-year, $202 million contract.
“He likes it here,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said of Irving. “(Everyone) will talk about the record. There are other participants. Let’s put everybody in that fish bowl, not just those two (stars).
“But I think he’s excited to be here and excited to work with Luka. He believes we have a chance to win. This is a big summer, not just for us as Mavs, but for Kai. He’s going to be a free agent. Everything we’ve done is to show this is a great city, a great organization and now it’s time to continue that process of winning a championship.”
While the Mavs went 8-12 with him int he lineup and failed to qualify for the play-in tournament after ranking fourth in the Western Conference standings at a few points, Irving's production was evident. In 20 games, he averaged 26.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 38.1 minutes per game, even playing through a foot injury down the stretch. Regardless, the move was made with the long-term being the focus.
"You don’t give up a first-round pick just for one run at a playoffs,” Cuban said of trading for Irving midseason.
Irving opted not to participate in exit interviews and had often requested not to discuss his future plans. After his Mavs home debut in February, he described questions about the long-term future as "very emotionally draining" from his past experiences in NBA stops that include the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets. Now, there surely won't be those questions to answer.
“I’ve dealt with it before and it’s very emotionally draining to ask questions about what’s the long term,” Irving said after his home debut in February.
There are quite a few questions about Irving's free agency outlook that have yet to be answered but will surely be factors in the outcome. How many teams are prepared to make a max contract offer? If so, for how many years? Are any of those teams going to create cap space to make such an offer?
From some, there was a sense before Brunson committed to sign with the Knicks that due to New York not having the necessary available salary cap space, that the Mavs could simply outbid the competition to retain him. As far Irving's case is concerned, it would be highly challenging for a motivated team to outright create the cap space, likely requiring a sign-and-trade.
“It’s not Kyrie or bust, but we want to keep him,” Cuban said. “I’m done giving ultimatums on players like I did last year.”
The Mavs must be cautious about how they approach the situation with Irving as far as negotiations are concerned. The advantages they have is that they can sign him using Bird rights and can offer a fifth year. The length of the contract offer will surely be based on their intel about what the rest of the league may be pondering. Regardless, losing Irving would be concerning and make fielding a sufficient supporting cast around Luka Doncic all the more challenging.
There have been teams speculated as possible suitors for Irving in the past, such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, but it's far too early to get into what the market could look like for a free agent. There is a lot that can happen in the playoffs around the NBA that could create or end possible scenarios.
The ideal outcome for the Mavs would be to re-sign Irving, make some upgrades to the roster (likely using their first-round pick, if retained), then go through a full training camp to build chemistry.
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