A player’s perceived value and market value are two very different things.
As the NBA season comes to a close, the free agency market is heating up, and there’s a lot of speculation about where Kyrie Irving (31, 188 cm) will end up.
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 skeptical of 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 didn’t play well, finishing 11th in the West and missing the playoffs.
Initially, Dallas brought Irving back with the intention of re-signing him. Irving can maximize his money by signing an extension with his original team, Dallas.
The maximum Irving can get is $270 million over the five years of his contract. 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 a deal longer than three years to clear salary cap space.
Also, Irving hasn’t played a lot of games due to his frequent injuries, suspensions, and controversies. He hasn’t played more than 65 games in four straight 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 can’t afford to give Irving a max contract. Their priority is to get 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 potentially win a championship, or take a financial hit to join the Lakers. 메이저사이트