Kyrie Irving will decline option, sign 3-year, $119M contract

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Kyrie Irving, who is recovering from a knee injury, is staying put in Dallas with aspirations of helping the Mavericks win the NBA championship

Nine-time All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving will decline his $43 million player option and instead plans to sign a three-year, $119 million contract to remain with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN reported on Tuesday, June 24 (Wednesday, June 25, Manila time).

Irving, who will have a player option for the 2027-28 season, per the report, is recovering from a torn ACL which ended his season in March. He spoke with ESPN on Tuesday and said that there is a long-term commitment from himself and the Dallas organization and he wants to build a legacy with the Mavericks, believing the franchise can win a league championship.

Irving, 33, could return from the left knee injury as soon as January, per the report.

He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 36.1 minutes in 50 games (all starts) last season.

In parts of three seasons with the Mavericks, Irving has averaged 25.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 35.9 minutes in 128 regular-season games (all starts).

He averaged 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 40.0 minutes in starting all 22 playoff games as the Mavs advanced to 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost to Boston Celtics in five games.

For his career, Irving is averaging 23.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 34.5 minutes in 779 games (all starts) for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2011-17), Celtics (2017-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-23) and Mavericks. (2023-present). He won an NBA title with the Cavaliers in 2016.

The Cavaliers selected Irving with the No. 1 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft after his freshman season at Duke. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year with Cleveland. Dallas has the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft, which starts on Wednesday, and is expected to pick All-America Cooper Flagg, a freshman out of Duke.

The Mavericks, who could build around Irving, Flagg, and 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis, 32, will need a point guard while Irving is sidelined. ESPN reported that Irving’s three-year deal could allow Dallas the financial flexibility to open up a $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception. – Rappler.com