Mavericks' Kyrie Irving problem got infinitely more complicated after his injury

Every week since the Luka Doncic trade passed, it seems like something else has happened to put the Dallas Mavericks in a worse position than they were in before, and it has become unbearable for some fans.

Anything that could possibly go wrong since that trade has gone wrong, and it looks like this is a cursed season in Dallas. Their injury luck has been some of the worst we've seen in league history, and this bad luck took an extremely dark turn last week when Kyrie Irving tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Irving was Dallas' last hope at survival, and he went down when the Mavericks needed him most.

Irving was playing some of the best basketball of his career before getting injured, and Dallas has a complicated summer ahead of them when it comes to how they manage him and his future with the Mavericks.

Mavericks must operate carefully with Irving's future in Dallas

Irving has a player option this summer, and if he opts out, the Mavericks may have a problem. Since they traded Doncic, Dallas desperately needs Irving to return. Their guard depth is dreadful right now, and considering all circumstances, Irving has all of the leverage when it comes to the type of money and contract he can command.

There have been no signs that Irving wants to play elsewhere, and Nico Harrison's vision for this team includes Irving and Anthony Davis running the show for the next few years, but it's going to come at a major price. Irving could command a three-year max contract, and giving a 32-year-old guard that type of contract at this point in his career would be a bit risky considering his injury history and the fact that he may not be the same player once he comes back.

His looming free agency just got even more pressing for Dallas, as they'll likely be forced to give him a big deal even though he may not return for multiple months after the season begins. If Dallas did decide to low ball him (if he opts out of his contract), they would risk another team signing him and losing him for nothing, which would be an absolute disaster.

There is also a possibility that Irving opts into his contract and plays out the final year before becoming a free agent next summer, which may benefit Dallas the most in the long run since they'd get to see him play following his injury before signing him to a massive deal.

Regardless though, Irving enters this summer with tons of leverage (a bit less leverage following his injury but he is still in a good spot), and Nico Harrison must operate carefully to ensure the team does not fall apart. Irving has become a leader on and off the floor in Dallas, and the fan base would be devastated once again if they were to lose him.