Kyrie Irving agrees to stay with Mavs, Doncic on a $126 million, 3-year deal, AP source says

According to a source familiar with the matter, Kyrie Irving has agreed to continue his partnership with Luka Doncic and remain with the Dallas Mavericks. The deal, worth $126 million over three years, was reached during the initial hours of NBA free agency, as reported by The Big Big News. The source, speaking anonymously, emphasized that the contracts cannot be officially signed until Thursday.

In addition to Irving’s agreement, the Mavericks have also secured a two-year deal with Seth Curry, who will be joining the team for his third stint. The Mavericks’ general manager, Nico Harrison, has remained tight-lipped regarding the NBA’s investigation, Irving, and Doncic, adopting a guarded approach.

Irving, who refrained from discussing his future during his partial season with Dallas, posted a cryptic tweet consisting of “peace” and “love” emojis, seemingly alluding to his decision to return. The Mavericks made history by pairing two All-Star starters for the first time in franchise history when they acquired Irving in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets in February. However, the team struggled towards the end of the season, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since Doncic’s rookie year.

While the Irving-Doncic pairing showed promise, injuries and a lack of defensive cohesion hampered their success. Despite winning their first two games with Irving, the Mavericks had a disappointing record of 7-18 afterward, ultimately missing out on the play-in tournament. The Nets had previously offered Irving a contract extension, but their relationship deteriorated, leading Irving to request a trade.

Harrison’s second major trade for the Mavericks did not have the same impact as his initial one, which involved sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards and acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie, a valuable contributor in the playoffs. Defensive issues were a significant factor in the unsuccessful trial period of Doncic and Irving.

Doncic, who finished second in the scoring race with a career-best average of 32.4 points per game, expressed his desire to continue building chemistry with Irving and see where their partnership could lead. The Mavericks’ tumultuous season concluded under the shadow of an NBA investigation, following a game in which Irving did not play, and Doncic was limited to only the first quarter.

Irving’s time with the Brooklyn Nets was marred by controversies, including his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, leading to him missing most of the team’s home games in the 2021-22 season. He also faced a suspension for sharing a tweet containing antisemitic content, which resulted in Nike severing ties with him. Following Irving’s departure, the Nets further reshaped their roster by trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

Meanwhile, Curry, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors’ superstar Stephen Curry, began his career with the Mavericks in 2016-17. After a brief stint in Portland, he returned to Dallas for another successful season. Curry then signed with the Philadelphia 76ers before joining Irving in Brooklyn as part of the trade involving James Harden and Ben Simmons.

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