The Dallas Mavericks‘ No. 1 priority was to keep Kyrie Irving paired with Luka Doncic for years to come, and that’s exactly what they did in the early stages of free agency.
Or… Did they? Irving has a long history of not seeing his deals run out and forcing his way to greener grasses. He’s volatile and unpredictable, which is why most teams were reluctant to make a run at him.
Also, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports that LeBron James is still adamant about the Los Angeles Lakers trading for Kyrie, so we shouldn’t put that narrative to sleep just yet.
LeBron Still Wants To Play With Kyrie
“I will say this. I do think LeBron has an interest in playing with Kyrie Irving again,” Windhorst said. “I think he likes the idea of playing with Kyrie, the concept of playing with Kyrie and Anthony Davis.”
“I have long said the best big-man pairing that LeBron’s ever had, as far as pure fit, is Anthony Davis,” Windhorst continued. “I believe the best guard pairing LeBron’s ever had is Kyrie Irving.”
Kyrie Has A Financial Incentive To Be Traded
Moreover, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Irving would actually benefit from a trade, as he included a 15% trade kicker in his new deal with the Mavs:
“Kyrie Irving has a 15 percent trade kicker in his new contract with the Dallas Mavericks, league sources told HoopsHype,” tweeted Scotto.
Simply put, Irving would get a 15% raise if he were to be traded, and we know how difficult he can make things when he wants to leave, so don’t be shocked if he forces his way out of Texas as well.
