Despite rampant speculation suggesting otherwise, Kyrie Irving is apparently content to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving has been tied to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers since before the trade deadline last season. The disgruntled star was traded from Brooklyn to Dallas in the final year of an expiring contract and, to add fuel to the fire of speculation, the Mavs missed the playoffs despite a statistically fruitful partnership between Kyrie and Luka Doncic.
Irving then went on to attend multiple Lakers playoff games, leading some to believe he was angling to get in the good graces of LeBron and the Lakers' front office. Irving famously demanded a trade away from LeBron in Cleveland but has since seen the error in his ways.
New reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein, however, paints a different picture of Irving's upcoming free agency.
Kyrie Irving wants to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks
"Two sources close to the process insisted Monday that Irving has consistently expressed a desire to remain a Maverick and actually wants to shut down the notion that he's angling to get to L.A."
That kind of sentiment will come as a surprise to many, especially those among the LA faithful who were hoping for Kyrie to push the Lakers over the finish line. That said, the Mavs have every financial advantage to keep Irving. Meanwhile, the Lakers are not interested in the idea of reuniting LeBron with his former co-champion, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
This feels like a perfect storm of those two facts: Irving can get the most money from Dallas and the Lakers don't want him or the headache he traditionally brings with him. Irving probably enjoys playing with Luka Doncic too. Just because last season ended poorly doesn't mean 2023-24 will end the same way.
Irving and Doncic form arguably the most skilled, potent guard duo in the NBA. Irving is openly recruiting LeBron to Dallas, to really drive home his desire to stick around. The logistics of that hypothetical transaction are borderline unfathomable, but hey — it's a nice thought.
Irving and LeBron have progressed past the conflict that once mired their relationship and Irving evidently has a place where he's happy playing basketball. This feels like a win all around. Don't expect Irving and James to team up any time soon, but get excited for the next year-plus of Irving and Luka dancing on hapless defenders.