(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The biggest name on the free-agent market heading into NBA free agency on Friday afternoon was superstar guard Kyrie Irving, who had been linked to a number of different teams this summer.
All the speculation regarding Irving’s immediate future came to an end quickly on Friday, with the Dallas Mavericks signing him to a three-year deal worth $126 million.
This was a bit surprising in terms of the speed of the signing, as he had been expected to meet with multiple teams on Friday, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
However, it seems that no other team was willing to sign the controversial guard to a lucrative long-term deal, which made his decision an easy one due to how much Dallas was willing to offer.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving’s deal includes a player option in the third year.
Free agent Kyrie Irving has agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks, with a player option in third season, @TheAthletic @Stadium learned.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
Most contracts in the NBA these days have some sort of option, whether it be a player or team option, which gives flexibility to either side ahead of the deal expiring.
With Irving now in the fold for at least the next two years, it’ll be interesting to see what other moves the Mavericks make in free agency in order to get talent around Irving and fellow superstar Luka Doncic.
The Mavericks may have two of the best players in the league, but they lack depth, and that will need to be addressed one way or another if Mark Cuban and company hope to contend for a title over the next two seasons.
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