Latest On Kyrie Irving’s Contract Extension With Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is declining his $43 million player option and plans to re-sign with Dallas on a three-year, $119 million contract in free agency, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The new deal will include a player option for the 2027-28 season and is nearly identical to the contract Irving signed last summer.

Irving, a nine-time All-Star, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee suffered in early March. Despite the setback, he was putting together a strong season, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 50 starts.

Most of those came alongside Luka Doncic, though Irving often took on primary ball-handling duties after Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers — a role that may expand once Irving is healthy.

The deadline for Irving to exercise his option was Monday. Given long-standing reports of mutual interest in a new three-year agreement, the decision to decline the option wasn’t unexpected. Dallas had reportedly prioritized this structure since at least April.

Financially, the move benefits the Mavericks in the short term. Irving’s first-year salary on the new deal will be lower than the $43 million he opted out of, pushing the team’s total salary below the second tax apron.

That creates some flexibility for Dallas to use the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency, likely in search of a short-term starter at guard as Irving continues his recovery.

The Mavericks are hopeful Irving can return at some point in the middle of next season. In the meantime, the team’s core of Irving and Anthony Davis still has its sights set on contending. And with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg presumably joining the mix, Dallas is suddenly positioned to contend now and build something scary for the future.