Dallas Mavericks owner wants to re-sign Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving’s contract expires at the end of the season and he is eligible for a new contract with the Mavericks worth $201 million over five seasons.
The Dallas Mavericks are one game shy of being eliminated from the NBA Western Conference play-in spots in the 2022-23 season and it seems that Mark Cuban, the owner of the franchise, is more interested in the future than the present.
Prior to Wednesday’s victory against the Sacramento Kings, the Mavs owner spoke to the media and talked about a possible contract extension for point guard Kyrie Irving.
“It’s not about Kyrie or bust, but we do want to keep him. I’m tired of giving players ultimatums like I did last year,” Cuban told the Associated Press. “I want to have him here and I think we have a good chance. I think he’s happy here, he told me he’s happy here.”
Irving’s contract expires at the end of the current season and he is eligible for a maximum five-year veteran’s contract worth $201 million. However, the Mavs will have to juggle the books to balance the future extension of Luka Doncic’s contract.
The situation is complicated because Doncic will represent 30 percent of the Mavs’ salary cap until his extension ends in 2027. Also, since Irving arrived in Dallas, in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, the combination with the Slovenian point guard has not yet clicked. Although the Mavericks have a 117.9 offensive rating, their record is 5-11 when both All-Star guards meet on the court.
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