While Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving has made it clear he doesn’t intend to discuss his contract status with the media, it seems the media may be privy to what he intends to do next.
Per foremost NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Irving very well could return to Dallas as a free agent during the offseason. Irving, of course, is eligible for a contract extension right now.
“I think it’s more likely than not Kyrie Irving stays in Dallas,” Wojnarowski said on Get Up, via RealGM. “Just because of what they invested in him. And his chance to get the kind of contract he wants… I think given of what they gave up and Dallas’ track record of being willing to pay players who want to be there. I think it’s more likely than not Kyrie Irving is in Dallas. Of course it can all change.”
The Mavs acquired Irving ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith and three draft picks. Before that, Irving had been linked to the Lakers, with no less than LeBron James making it clear he would have liked to have Irving in LA.
Instead, the Lakers ended up trading for guard D’Angelo Russell and several others — and Wojnarowski suggested that is where they will keep their focus.
“I do think [the Lakers] traded for Russell with the idea they’ll go forward with him on a new deal,” Wojnarowski said.
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