Getty Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving has re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.
The eight-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year is signing a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mavericks. The third year is a player option for Irving.
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.
Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks in 2022-23. Dallas was the only team really interested in Irving, league sources told Heavy Sports.
Irving has career averages of 23.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He has won one NBA championship and made three All-NBA teams. Irving took to Twitter after reaching his new deal, thanking his aunt — who is his agent — and his father — who is his business manager.
Big Shoutout to
My Agent Shetellia Riley Irving
and
My business manager Drederick Irving,
who did a great job throughout the whole entire process.
Thank you
A11EVEN MANAGEMENT FIRM
Hélà
🤞🏾♾
Irving finished the 2022-23 season with averages of 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 49.4% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 90.5% from the free-throw line. He is one of the best players in the NBA.
Mavericks Had To Re-Sign Kyrie Irving
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Mavericks had to re-sign Irving 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.”
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and head coach Jason Kidd wanted Irving to re-sign with Dallas, league sources told Heavy Sports. Even though the Mavericks went only 5-11 when Irving and Doncic played together, Dallas’ front office still believes in the Kyrie-Luka duo, which is evident by Irving’s new massive deal.
Irving and Doncic will be under pressure to make the playoffs next season in the rugged Western Conference. The Mavericks made the Western Conference Finals in 2022.
Mavericks Didn’t Get Bruce Brown
The Mavericks didn’t get NBA champion Bruce Brown, who signed with the Indiana Pacers.
Dallas thought it would get a meeting with Brown, but the combo guard quickly reached a deal with the Pacers, who have the third-most cap space this summer, trailing only the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
A Boston native, Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23 while shooting 48.3% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 75.8% from the free-throw line. In the 2023 playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, Brown put up 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
The 26-year-old Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 boards and 1.0 assists in the NBA Finals versus the Heat. Denver beat Miami in five games to capture its first title in franchise history.
Brown has career averages of 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and Nuggets. He was teammates with Irving in Brooklyn.
The Mavericks still need a center.