NBA insider Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported that Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks had a “handshake deal” on a max contract before the trade with the Brooklyn Nets went through.
Pincus elaborated on his report during a recent appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
“I was at the NBA combine and spoke to a lot of different people,” Pincus said. “It’s not the Mavericks. It’s not Kyrie or his people saying there’s a deal done. There’s just the general buzz around the NBA that when they made the [midseason trade] that they pretty much had an understanding that they would keep Kyrie Irving and pay him to stay.
“And that’s what Kyrie expects on some level now. Kyrie’s an interesting guy. He sort of marches to his own beat.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Irving may be eligible to sign a max contract worth $272 million over five years with Dallas. The All-Star could also sign a three-year contract with a player option for the fourth year and be on the same timeline contract-wise as Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic.
“I think he stays in Dallas,” Pincus said. “That’s the buzz. Kyrie is not someone I would bet a lot of money on, just on reliability. Again, not necessarily negative, but he is somebody who is a little unpredictable. … I would put a bet on Kyrie staying, but I wouldn’t put like a large bet just because, you know, nature of the situation.”
Irving, 31, averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks. However, Dallas went only 8-12 when Uncle Drew was in the lineup and 5-11 when Doncic and Irving were playing together.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Despite the Mavericks struggling after acquiring Irving, though, Doncic and Dallas head coach Jason Kidd want the franchise to re-sign Kyrie, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, sources told NBA Analysis Network.
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