NBA Finals End Opens Contract Talks For Kyrie Irving, Mavs

The Mavs will be able to begin contract talks with Kyrie Irving a day after the NBA Finals with Kyrie Irving and their other impending free agents.

DALLAS — The focus around the NBA tends to shift very quickly from the current season to the offseason one there is a champion crowned. Now, with the NBA Finals concluded, there is a different set of circumstances for what it means for a front office after recent Collective Bargaining Agreement changes.  

Among the various important changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement is the timeline in which teams can begin discussing contract terms with their own impending free agents, according to multiple league sources. Instead of having to wait until June 30, the Mavs can begin such conversations with Irving on the day after the NBA Finals series ends. However, a deal cannot become completed until July 1 at the earliest. 

Before this change to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams could have conversations with their own impending free agents, but couldn't legally discuss contract terms. With the NBA Draft taking place on June 22, teams will have a significant window to evaluate their situation before free agency and have conversations with their own players.

With the Dallas Mavericks' top offseason priority being to re-sign Kyrie Irving, being authorized to discuss contract terms much sooner than any other team is an important context to take into account.

Irving finished the final year of a contact that earned him $36.9 million for the 2022-23 season. He has remained eligible to sign a two-year, $78.6 million extension and that will remain the most he can formally sign for until June 30. However, he seeks a longer contract for his next deal.

Irving continued to prove that he's among the NBA's elite guards after averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 60 appearances. He is eligible to sign up to a five-year, $272.9 million contract if he returns to the Mavs. If he was to outright depart in free agency, the most he could sign with a different team for is a four-year, $201.7 million contract.

Not long ago, Irving spoke to his fans on Instagram Live to address the recent talk regarding his upcoming free agency. He made clear that he has yet to make a decision and that he plans to take his time to evaluate his options.

"I'm a free agent this summer, but I am in no rush to make a decision," Irving said. "When [these media personalities] speak on my name and they're talking about potential teams that I'm going to, can y'all please — I respectfully, I'm asking you — stop paying attention to that." 

Irving's comments on Instagram Live came after much was made about reporting of a "handshake agreement" between him and the Mavs for a four-year max deal with a final-year player option.

The Mavs remain optimistic about their outlook to re-sign Irving and viewed the trade to acquire him as being a long-term move. The team parted with Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick, and multiple second-round picks to acquire Irving from the Brooklyn Nets. 

"I think the things that he said along the way about how he feels here, how he feels appreciated, how he feels accepted and allowed to be himself," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said during his media exit interview. "I think those are the things that he’s said kind of consistently, and that’s what gives me the optimism that he wants to be here."

After the departure of Jalen Brunson in free agency last summer, the front office immediately needed to find a star to pair with Luka Doncic as they build toward a championship contending configuration. Despite the team posting a 5-11 record in the games the two standouts shared the floor, there was plenty to like about the potential after having time to build chemistry. However, adding talent around in the supporting cast is necessary. 

"I didn’t know if this would be like a magic pill. I don’t think I had any visions of that," Harrison said. "But I figured it couldn’t be worse than what it was. I also looked at it as a long-term play, not a short-term play."

“I think Luka and Kyrie work together. I think it’s the players around them. … That’s the part we need to work on,” Harrison explained.

In terms of particular weakness to address, the Mavs will prioritize making upgrades to their defense and rebounding. Dallas ranked 26th in defensive rating and 30th in total rebounding percentage last season. The need persists for the front office to find a long-term solution at the center position, along with it being necessary to make a talent upgrade on the wing.

"I think for us going into the offseason, the two biggest things that we need to work on is defense and rebounding," Harrison said. "That's going to be addressed."

When asked by DallasBasketball.com after the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, Harrison clarified that "both" on-ball defense and rim protection are areas to be addressed for their unit this summer. 

The Mavs have the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft at their disposal, but are limited to only trading their 2027 first-round pick as far as including future first-round picks is concerned. If Irving re-signs with Dallas at the expected cost, the front office will be limited to adding free agent talent using its taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum contracts. A realistic contract offer using a salary cap exception for them would be a two-year, $10 million offer as an example.

There remains the need to navigate the impending free agency of rotation players like Dwight Powell and Christian Wood. Barring an offer from a rival team using their salary cap exception, Powell has a viable pathway to return to the team. Wood appears unlikely to play for the Mavs in 2023-24, but perhaps the navigation of a sign-and-trade scenario could continue a transaction cycle that begin with trading the 26th overall pick in last year's draft as a featured asset.

There is a lot for the Mavs to sort out this offseason with the need for immediate results. The recent changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement will make carrying a hefty payroll challenging while navigating possible roster improvement maneuvers. Despite that, there are some benefits, like being able to carry a third two-way contract signee. Dallas must quickly identify advantages on the margins. 

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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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