Kyrie Irving expected to re-sign with Dallas Mavericks in NBA free agency: Report

DALLAS – NBA star Kyrie Irving is expected to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks when free agency begins this weekend, according to a report.

Irving, 31, spent the second half of the 2022-23 NBA season playing for the Mavericks after they acquired him in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in February. Rumors have swirled in recent weeks about where Irving, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, would sign this offseason, including potentially reuniting with former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James.

However, the “full expectation” is that Irving re-signs with the Mavericks when NBA free agency officially begins at 6 p.m. EST Friday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“The market for Kyrie Irving, legitimate places that he would leave Dallas for that make sense, that are available to him, it’s extremely limited, perhaps almost nil,” Wojnarowski said during an appearance on “SportsCenter.” “The full expectation is that he returns in Dallas. The question will be what kind of deal does he go back on? How many years on a contract? I don’t think the money will be as much of an issue as how many fully guaranteed years are there for Kyrie Irving? I think that’s where the negotiation is going to be between he and the Mavericks.”

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While Wojnarowski said he expects Irving to re-sign in Dallas, he also notes the Mavericks are able to offer the eight-time All-Star a larger contract than any other NBA team. The Mavericks, as Irving’s most recent team, can offer Irving up to a $272.9 million, five-year contract, while other teams can are limited to offering Irving a maximum contract of $210.1 million over four years.

“But if he wants to maximize his money on this deal, the place to do that is in Dallas,” Wojnarowski said. “If he wants a chance to win and make a lot of money, or certainly win at a certain level playing with Luka Dončić… they certainly have much more to do with that roster but certainly a very formidable one-two punch with the Mavericks, it is back in Dallas. Again, the question will be how many years is that deal? What kind of commitment do the Mavericks make to Kyrie Irving?”

In April, Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported the Mavericks intended to re-sign Irving this offseason, despite the team going 9-18 after his acquisition and missing the NBA playoffs. Even as Dallas struggled down the stretch of the regular season, Irving averaged 27 points on 51% shooting, six assists and five rebounds in 20 games played for the Mavericks.