Irving wants the best…Lakers-Dallas is a ‘no-brainer’
A player’s perceived value and market value are very different.
As the NBA season draws to a close, attention is turning to the free agent market, with many speculating on the destination of Kyrie Irving (31, 188cm).
Irving wants a max contract: He requested a trade from his former team, the Brooklyn Nets, during the season in order to sign a big-money, long-term deal. Brooklyn was sceptical about re-signing Irving.
The Dallas Mavericks picked up Irving, but it didn”t work out as well as expected. Irving averaged 27 points, five rebounds, and six assists in 20 games after the trade, but the team was a different story, and Dallas finished 11th in the West and missed the playoffs.안전놀이터
Initially, Dallas brought Irving back with the intention of re-signing him. Irving will get the most money when he signs an extension with his original team, Dallas.
The maximum Irving can get is $270 million over five years. It’s practically his last chance to touch the big bucks.
Dallas can’t afford to give him a max. Irving’s talent is unquestioned, but the length of his contract is a concern.
Ace Luka Doncic has three years left on his contract, and the Mavs are wary of signing him to anything longer than three years to clear the salary cap.
Also, Irving hasn’t played a lot of games due to frequent injuries, suspensions, and controversy. He hasn’t played more than 65 games in four consecutive seasons. Because of this, many teams have been negative about signing Irving.
The Los Angeles Lakers are Dallas’ only real competition. The Lakers need a ball-handler and scorer to help LeBron James. They also believe that LeBron can help with Irving’s mental issues.
However, the Lakers are unlikely to give Irving a max contract. Their priority is to sign Austin Reeves and Rui Hachimura, who are both restricted free agents. They can’t afford to give Irving a max contract with their existing roster.
There are three teams with salary cap space and a need at the point guard position. The San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic. None of them are interested in Irving.
In the end, if it comes down to money, Irving could choose to stay in Dallas, reunite with LeBron, and take a financial hit to join the Lakers if he sees a chance to win a championship.