The Dallas Mavericks made a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets in February, acquiring NBA All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. The trade didn’t work out as intended, as the Mavs only went 5-11 when superstar Luka Doncic and Irving were in the lineup together and didn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament.
However, even though Irving didn’t help the Mavs make the playoffs, it appears the franchise still wants to bring him back, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
“I hear he’s going back to Dallas on a 3+1 [a player option on the fourth year]. His contract will line up [identically] with Luka’s.” one player agent told Pincus.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Irving, 31, becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. A source told Pincus that the Mavs and Irving “had a handshake deal” before the Nets trade went down. Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists with Dallas while shooting 51.0% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc.
“I hear they had a handshake deal before the trade [with the Brooklyn Nets],” one source said. “And Kyrie wouldn’t have said yes to anything less than the max.”
Irving has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns if he doesn’t re-sign with the Mavs, who have the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Duke product played with Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers and Suns star Kevin Durant on the Nets.
An eight-time All-Star, Irving has career averages of 23.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists with the Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Nets, and Mavericks. He won the 2016 championship with James over the Golden State Warriors.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Both Doncic and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd want Irving back in Dallas, sources told NBA Analysis Network. It will be interesting to see if Irving re-signs with the Mavs or takes his talents to Los Angeles to reunite with James.
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