Dallas Mavericks re-sign All-NBA point guard Kyrie Irving on opening day of free agency
.jpg "Kyrie Irving has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks.")
The Dallas Mavericks and Kyrie Irving agreed on a three-year $126 million contract according to several major media outlets, including ESPN and The Athletic.
The Mavericks acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets in the middle of the 2022-23 season..
The agreement, reached in principle and not official until July 6, includes a third-year player option, according to ESPN.
Irving is a controversial figure due to such things as his past statements questioning if the earth is flat and sharing videos that supported antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Irving’s talent is undeniable: The point guard has two All-NBA and eight All-Star selections in his career as well as an NBA title he won with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
The Mavs hope Irving and Luka Doncic can be the centerpieces for an NBA title-contending team.
Last season with the Mavs, Kyrie averaged 27 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. The Mavs struggled to win with Irving, however, going 8-12 in the 20 games he played with Dallas last season and 5-11 when Irving and Doncic played together.
But Doncic referred to Irving as a great teammate, and general manager Nico Harrison felt strongly that Irving wanted to be back as soon as the season was over.
“It’s a great fit,” Doncic said at the end of last season. “Obviously, people are going to say no but … look at the results we are having. But, like I said, chemistry and relationships take time. I wish he could still be here. He’s a great player. He just wants peace, a great person.”
Irving, 31, demanded a trade from the Nets to force his way out of Brooklyn in February, which cost Dallas a 2029 first-round pick, multiple second-round picks, Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Irving spent six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who drafted him first overall in 2011, was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2017 and bolted for Brooklyn as a free agent in 2019.
Irving was eighth in the NBA in scoring last season, at 27.1 points per game, along with averaging 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 30, 2023 at 6:42 PM.
