Mavericks' franchise-altering Kyrie Irving decision has become crystal clear

Other than drafting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, the Dallas Mavericks have a different move that they must make this offseason that could determine their fate over the next few seasons.

Dallas must re-sign Kyrie Irving to a contract to ensure that he is their point guard for the first couple of years of the Flagg era, and the most logical deal to sign him to seems like a three-year deal worth between $40 and $45 million annually. This would line Irving's contract up with the end of Anthony Davis and Nico Harrison's contracts, and Dallas would have three more seasons to try to win a title with their current core.

Harrison's plan has always been to win a title within the next few years, and with Irving being his right-hand man from the start, it would only make sense to try to do it with him on the roster. Irving has been revolutionary in Dallas, as he has flipped his off-court reputation while remaining one of the most unstoppable guards in the NBA, and signing him to a three-year deal as soon as they can would be the perfect move for both sides.

Mavs must re-sign Kyrie Irving to a three-year deal without hesitation

For Irving, a three-year deal (with a potential player option after year two) would give him one last chance of securing a massive contract in free agency, as he is 33 years old and is entering next season coming off an ACL tear. A three-year contract in the ballpark of $40 to $45 million per season would give him a similar deal (and even a raise assuming he signs for more than $40 million annually) compared to the first deal he had with the Mavericks, and he would have the chance to compete for a title over the next few years alongside Davis and Jason Kidd.

For Dallas, they can't afford to lose Irving by any means.

Without Irving, their guard depth would become even more putrid than it already is, and they would lose the one player who helped hold everything together after the Luka Doncic trade. Irving spoke as well about the trade as he possibly could have after it went down, as he called for the Mavs to take a step back on the public criticism of Doncic while also focusing on the task in front of him, and for that, he deserves to be rewarded. He seemingly became the team's spokesperson during a time when nobody else wanted to do that, and his true colors shone through every time he stepped up to the podium.

All signs have pointed to Irving re-signing with the Mavs for months, and they should kick off the first night of free agency by signing him to a new contract. Dallas took this approach in the summer of 2023, as they signed Irving to a new deal within the first few hours of free agency opening up, and doing this once again would show Irving that they are dedicated to him running the show for years to come and allow them to spend the rest of free agency trying to find his replacement until he comes back from injury.

Irving's return to Dallas seems like a done deal, as he loves Dallas and Dallas loves him, and signing him to a three-year deal rather than a five-year deal is the best idea for both sides. Mavericks fans should have no worries when it comes to Irving departing in free agency, and Harrison must ensure that they show Irving how much he means to the franchise.