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The last few months of the 2024-25 season could not have been a bigger disaster for the Dallas Mavericks if they tried. In addition to all the fan vitriol they were on the receiving end of in the aftermath of their controversial decision to trade away Luka Doncic, they ended up losing Anthony Davis to a groin injury in his very first game as a Maverick, and then not too long after that, Kyrie Irving went down with a torn ACL — destroying all of the Mavericks' hopes of mounting a deep playoff run despite the loss of Doncic.
Irving, in particular, appears poised to miss the majority of next season. Even if he returns to the Mavericks lineup in January, he'll be subject to workload restrictions, if only to prevent him from re-aggravating the injury. Nevertheless, Dallas clearly sees Irving as a crucial piece of the team moving forward, as they reportedly plan to sign him to a three-year, $119 million extension once he's able to decline his player option for the 2025-26 season worth $43 million.
Irving's decision to prioritize financial security should not come as too big of a surprise to any one, even to Mavericks fans. He's already 33 years of age with a history of lower-body injuries, and with his torn ACL, it was imperative that he manage to secure the bag as soon as possible, which he did.
Nevertheless, considering how badly the Mavericks need him (they lack the guards to set up their stacked frontcourt that could soon add Cooper Flagg into the mix), this deal is a win-win, provided, of course, that Irving manages to return to form despite suffering a serious knee injury.
Fans celebrate Kyrie Irving's Mavericks extension
Irving is one of the most beloved players among fans of true hoopers for his shifty footwork, limitless bag of ballhandling tricks, and his sublime body control that allows him to contort himself into impossible angles just to make difficult buckets. For the Mavericks, it was necessary for them to keep Irving, and they managed to do that for the next few years at the very least.
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“I gotta say that cooper Flagg pick to me would be a new Luka for the Dallas fans, promising future ahead with Kyrie signing on a friendly discount and resigning Gafford,” X user @david_Lakers824 wrote.
“Kyrie took a paycut because he feels like Mavs can beat the Thunder fully healthy He thinks Mavs can go to the NBA finals with this roster,” @big_business_ added.
“Solid deal for Dallas too. More flexibility for them, interested to see what they do with it,” @hooparj furthered.
“Yes! Love you Kyrie, I’m a happy guy tonight hearing this news that you’re gonna be with us and we need you because you are one of my favorite Mavs players of all time bro. Thank you my brother. Also I wish you well and a great recovery from your injury. Much love from me & fam,” @marc29110768 expressed.
“Oh proud of him he really looks so good with Dallas,” @AMStellar90 mused.
