NBA Free Agency 2023: Dallas Mavericks re-sign Kyrie Irving, per reports
According to a report from Shams Charania, the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to contractual terms with All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. The deal is for three years, totaling $126 million and the final year is a player option for Irving. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon has confirmed the initial report.
Free agent Kyrie Irving has agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks, with a player option in third season, @TheAthletic @Stadium learned. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
During 20 games with Dallas, Irving was incandescent offensively, scoring 27 points a game, while also dishing out six assists and grabbing five rebounds. Irving was extraordinarily efficient on offense, shooting what would be a career-high in true shooting percentage during his short stint with the Mavericks.
Unfortunately, the Mavericks didn’t have enough defensively to stop teams, no matter how well they scored the ball on offense. The end result was Dallas falling under .500 and falling out of the playoff chase.
The size and length of the deal may come as a shock to some observers, but given the new financial landscape of the NBA’s recently signed Collective Bargaining Agreement, it makes sense. After trading for Irving, there were some reports of a handshake deal as well as rumors that a true maximum contract for five years was not under discussion. Irving sought the longest and largest deal possible, but there was not a large appetite for his services despite the numerous reports suggesting multiple meetings between Irving and various teams. Despite being a multi-time NBA All-Star and NBA champion, his recent career has been rife with controversy. Pair that with his age and injury history, he became a gamble most teams simply weren’t interested in.
But as we saw in Dallas, Irving has plenty left in the tank. Hopefully, this deal leaves Irving feeling satisfied and respected and, along with Luka Doncic can form the basis of a playoff and championship-level roster for the Dallas Mavericks. With Irving now in agreement with Dallas, it frees the Mavericks’ front office to pursue other paths to improve the team during this very important off-season.
As we know more about the deal, we’ll update here.
Source: Mavs Moneyball
