Dallas landed a huge deal with Kyrie Irving, signing the star guard to a three-year, $119 million contract. Irving gave up a $43 million player option for 2025-26 to make the deal work.
The new deal comes with a player option for 2027-28, giving both sides flexibility while Irving recovers from an ACL tear. After getting hurt in March 2024, he's looking to come back in January 2026.
Irving proved his value before getting injured. During his second Dallas season, he put up 24.7 points while grabbing 4.8 rebounds and handing out 4.6 assists per game. His performance justified the Mavericks' decision to get him from Brooklyn in 2023.
With Luka Doncic now traded to LA for Anthony Davis, Dallas moves in a new direction. They're ready to pick Cooper Flagg first overall when the draft happens Wednesday.
The way the contract is structured lets Dallas use their $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception. They're looking at point guards Dennis Schroder or D'Angelo Russell to help out until Irving comes back.
This move follows Irving's earlier contract patterns. In 2023, he used Bird Rights to get another three-year max deal after becoming a free agent.
His yearly salary ended up lower than market expectations. Before the injury, talks suggested he could get between $50-60 million per season.
Team executives had to balance Irving's recovery timeline with tight money constraints. By reducing his first-year pay, they avoided the tax while keeping space to fill out the team.
The medical team will monitor his recovery through 2024. They're hoping for a complete comeback, expecting him to click with Davis and their new rookie by mid-season.
With their guard position secured through 2027, Dallas can now look for supporting players to complement their new stars with their remaining budget.
