Mavericks rumors: Latest on Kyrie Irving free agency and odds he stays in Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks are facing a massive offseason that will determine the future of the franchise. They must improve their roster after a disappointing season that saw them miss the playoffs, but the team’s first order of business is re-signing Kyrie Irving. The eight-time All-Star becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, and there is a real chance that he played his last game as a Maverick.

The franchise cannot afford to lose its second-best player in free agency for the second straight year. Dallas is still feeling the sting from Jalen Brunson’s departure, and letting Kyrie depart with zero return would hurt that much worse. The Mavs traded two starters and three draft picks to acquire him, and Dallas won just seven of their final 25 regular season games in an epic collapse that saw them drop from fourth to 11th in the Western Conference. They have to bring Kyrie back, but does he want to stay?

Marc Stein and Chris Haynes discussed Irving’s impending free agency and what they believe he will do on their latest episode of their #thisleague UNCUT podcast. Get the latest here.

Mavericks rumors: Latest on Kyrie Irving free agency and odds he stays in Dallas

Stein noted that Dallas is the favorite to sign Irving “because, at this point, I still don’t see that external suitor who going to come after Kyrie”. He also made it clear that the Mavericks need to, at minimum, get a sign-and-trade done for Irving if he wants to depart.

Dallas cannot let him leave for nothing or the franchise faces bigger problems moving forward.

The Lakers still seem like the most likely suitor, but that means giving up on the trades they made at the deadline that helped them get back into the playoff picture. Will LeBron want to play with Kyrie over those other pieces? Does Irving choose LA over Dallas in free agency, even if it means making less than the max? Only the 31-year-old superstar knows the answer to that last question.

The Dallas Mavericks need to bring back Kyrie Irving. They are not going to get a superstar back in return if they do a sign-and-trade, and Luka Doncic wants to play with another star. Dallas must keep their 24-year-old superstar happy or their fears will become reality. Can the Mavs keep Irving? It is the biggest story of the offseason, so stay tuned to find out.