Kyrie Irving delivers statement about Mavericks future amid contract talks

Kyrie Irving has a major contract decision coming up for his future with the Dallas Mavericks. He has a player option would about $43 million for next season, but he was in line for a five-year deal before he tore his ACL in March. He still has a lot of leverage, even with the injury, as there is pressure to win now in Dallas.

Irving is expected back in Dallas, no matter what, just the price and for how long is still up in the air. As he recovers from his ACL surgery, he made an appearance on NBA TV's pregame show for Game 7 of the NBA Finals, delivering a strong message about the franchise.

Feb 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) controls the ball against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"It's an exciting time to be a Dallas Maverick. It's an exciting time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan. Shoutout to MFFL, all the supporters that been rocking with us. Getting this number one pick, we had a 1.8% chance. So, I loved it, I enjoyed seeing all the excitement, not only from the city, from our executive leadership, from our ownership group, from my teammates.

"This is one of those times in, not only in my career, but just in the legacy play of being a Dallas Maverick where we have a chance to do something special. So, I know Nico [Harrison] is going to do a great big job, I know Patrick [Dumont] is going to do a great job, I know Mark [Cuban] is going to do a great job.

"It's been an exciting journey thus far, even just being in Dallas. It's been up and down, just in terms of the circumstances and situations but we've been doing our best, I've been doing my best, and I'm one of the leaders of the team, so I gotta stay stoic, stay poised, ready for the moment, ready to articulate what's going on, and be ready to move forward."

“It’s an exciting time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan… shoutout to MFFL.” 👏@KyrieIrving is excited for the Mavs’ upcoming first pick and the future for the Dallas franchise 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/znTYo5DRcq
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 23, 2025

That doesn't sound like someone planning on leaving Dallas. The expectation has been for him to be a Maverick for the foreseeable future, and he sounds ready for the challenge.

The Mavericks could have a great team once he returns with Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Dereck Lively II, and more. Everyone just has to stay healthy, which has been a big issue with this team.

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