The Dallas Mavericks are looking to contend again next season, and one key move could make or break their offseason.
While trading away Luka Doncic in February and winning the draft lottery in May are the storylines that have dominated the Mavericks’ 2025, one other major storyline could be just as important. After tearing his ACL in March, Kyrie Irving has the chance to become a free agent this offseason.
Irving has spent two and a half seasons in Dallas, and his pairing with Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals just a year ago. Yet, his future in Dallas remains somewhat uncertain as the offseason continues.
Irving has limited time to make a decision on his player option for next season. While many expect him to decline and become an unrestricted free agent, there is also an expectation that he will re-sign in Dallas.
However, as a 33-year-old undersized guard coming off a torn ACL, his market is tough to pinpoint. In a recent article, ESPN’s Bobby Marks projected what his new deal could look like. Marks predicted that Dallas would offer Irving a three-year, $113 million contract.
That potential contract would put him at just under $38 million per season, a bit less than his player option worth $43.9 million but with more long-term flexibility. As Marks pointed out, a three-year deal would also perfectly align him with Anthony Davis’ contract, marking a clear window for this era of the Mavericks.
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While Nico Harrison’s wild ways of doing business haven’t exactly been popular, keeping Irving in town at least leaves the door open for some major success.