Irving In-Depth: Mavs 'Restraint' on Kyrie as Free Agency Begins

The Mavs remain optimistic about their outlook to re-sign Kyrie Irving in free agency, but will show "restraint" in negotiations amid a limited marketplace.

DALLAS — As NBA teams become authorized to negotiate contracts with free agents as of 5 p.m. CT today, the top priority for the Dallas Mavericks remains to re-sign Kyrie Irving, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The organization remains optimistic in its outlook to re-sign him.

But there are questions. And there are rumors. And there are puzzles to be pieced together.

Irving, 31, averaged 27.1 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 60 games during his 2022-23 campaign, with 20 of those games being played after the midseason trade sending him from the Brooklyn Nets to the Mavs. He can sign a five-year, $272.9 million contract if he returns to the Mavs, but only can sign a four-year, $201.7 million contract if he signs elsewhere.

The Mavs hold Irving's Bird rights, which enables them to exceed the salary cap to re-sign him. Most teams with cap space to sign a star are rebuilding clubs with timelines that Irving's age doesn't necessarily align with. If a team does not have sufficient cap space to sign him outright, they'd need to use a spending exception or a minimum contract, which would be an extreme discount and unlikely outcome. Otherwise it would be necessary for a team over the salary cap to use a sign-and-trade. However, the Mavs do not plan to help facilitate a sign-and-trade. 

Our latest on Irving's free agency includes the expectation that he will re-sign with the Mavs as he faces a limited marketplace for his services. However, the sentiment leading into the opening of free agency is that he's attempting to create more of a marketplace to maximize his negotiating power, which could take some time. 

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Irving is attempting to create a free agency market for himself ahead of the official opening, but the Mavs are going to "show some restraint" and "discipline" when making an offer to him.

"Kyrie Irving is trying to create a market out there. It may just not be there for him," Wojnarowski said. "Certainly, Dallas, I think, is going to try to show some restraint, some discipline on what they're going to offer Kyrie Irving with a new deal in Dallas. It's going to be more than anybody else can offer him."

The expectation remains that Irving will take some time to "manufacture a marketplace" of teams that have salary cap space in order to create leverage to prompt some "scare" into the Mavs. It remains to be seen if that'll be possible.

"I think he's going to try to spend some time here trying to manufacture a marketplace of salary cap space and teams that might actually scare Dallas into thinking they have to up their offer,'' said Woj. I'm not sure that's happening.''

Irving's attempt to manufacture a market seemed to have played out on Thursday in real time as Turner Sports' Chris Haynes included the Phoenix Suns as a team that the superstar guard is "expected" to meet with early in free agency. A Suns insider who is as reliable as it gets in local sports media — John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix — refuted the notion, calling it "absurd."

The other team that Haynes mentioned in his report was the Houston Rockets as a team that "could seek a meeting" as well. If Irving waits for a team like the Rockets — or any other non-reported team — to emerge with interest, it would put the Mavs' potential use of the $12.4 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception in free agency recruiting at risk. There must be clarity established about what number Irving is signing for because a full max salary would limit the Mavs to having the $5 million taxpayer midlevel exception instead.  

The strategy he seem set to use could take some time for the situation to play out, which aligns with previous comments during an Instagram Live broadcast early this offseason in which he said he is in "no rush" to make a decision and has yet to make a free agency decision.

"I'm a free agent this summer, but I am in no rush to make a decision," Irving said earlier this offseason on Instagram Live.

The prevailing expectation remains that Irving will "inevitably" choose to re-sign with the Mavs to play with Doncic, regardless of how long the process will ultimately take. 

"I still think Kyrie Irving inevitably will return back to Dallas on a deal to play with Luka Doncic," Wojnarowski said.

If Irving signs a long-term contract as he seems to want to do this summer, it would carry him through the remainder of the prime of his NBA playing career. Given that he seeks to find a team that he can finish his career with, it's understandable that he'd want to maximize his earning potential and ensure it's with the right situation. 

While the Mavs went 8-12 in the 20 games Irving played with the organization and went from being optimistic about contention to failing to qualify for the play-in tournament, one of the goals was to give both sides a trial run to see if a long-term partnership is in the cards. After parting with Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, and multiple second-round picks, Dallas will face a disadvantaged position if Irving departs. 

There is plenty of work the Mavs have to do outside of just re-signing Irving. After getting creative using the NBA Draft and netting Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, they still have a significant amount of needs. After finishing 25th in defensive rating and 30th in total rebounding percentage, the front office must add more veteran talent to improve on defense and rebounding, both of which continue to be expressed priorities by the organization.  

"I think for us going into the offseason, the two biggest things that we need to work on is defense and rebounding," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said during his exit interview. "That's going to be addressed."

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Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).

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