Getty Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Dallas Mavericks may be the only team interested in signing point guard Kyrie Irving this offseason, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Irving becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30. The Los Angeles Lakers don’t plan to pursue the All-Star and the Phoenix Suns can no longer sign him after acquiring shooting guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards.
“League sources say that these developments — especially the latter — have reinforced the notion that the Mavericks appear to be the only confirmed bidder for Irving’s services as the opening bell for 2023 NBA Free Agency at 6 PM ET on June 30 draws near,” Stein wrote.
The Houston Rockets could make a run at Irving if former MVP James Harden stays with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, Toronto Raptors unrestricted free agent Fred VanVleet may rank higher than Irving on the Rockets’ free-agent board.
“What could change that landscape? As I reported here June 11, Houston is expected to weigh a run at Irving if James Harden resists the Rockets’ overtures and the lure of a return to his adopted favorite city by electing to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Remember: Weigh means consider,” Stein wrote. “It was also conveyed to me this weekend that Irving, at best, would rank as the Rockets’ No. 3 choice among lead guards available in free agency if Houston decided to take its interest beyond the mere consideration phase — behind both Harden and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet.”
The Mavericks Must Re-Sign Kyrie Irving
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Mavericks should bring Irving back next season despite the team missing the play-in tournament in 2023.
“The Dallas Mavericks took a real gamble when they sent out a first-round draft pick as part of a trade to land someone who’d enter unrestricted free agency the following summer,” Bailey wrote. If Kyrie Irving walks, the Mavs will be out a rotation player (Spencer Dinwiddie), their best perimeter defender (Dorian Finney-Smith), the aforementioned first and multiple second-round picks for nothing.
“Yes, Kyrie was good (probably even great) for the few months he was a Maverick, but he hasn’t even been in the playoffs with them. Re-signing him is imperative.”
Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks in 2022-23. If the NBA works with a $134 million salary cap, Uncle Drew would be eligible to re-sign with Dallas on a five-year, $272 million contract.
The Suns Tried to Acquire Kyrie Irving
According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Suns reached out to the Mavericks about a potential sign-and-trade deal for Irving.
Dallas wasn’t interested in making a trade, so Phoenix shifted its focus to Beal, who waived his no-trade clause to play with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
“The Suns don’t have much trade capital left after acquiring Bradley Beal from the Wizards,” Begley wrote. “So it’s fair to assume that they can’t make a trade for a top player like Kyrie Irving. But it’s worth noting that Phoenix had interest in Irving earlier in the offseason. The Suns were among the teams to reach out to Dallas about a potential sign-and-trade for Irving earlier in the offseason, per sources familiar with the matter.
“Dallas, presumably, wasn’t interested in what the Suns offered at the time. If the Mavs were blown away by the offer, logic says that Beal wouldn’t be a Sun today.”