5 reasons why Mavericks won’t regret re-signing Kyrie Irving

This offseason, the Dallas Mavericks had three main goals: re-sign Kyrie Irving, upgrade their center position, and add wing depth. The team believes they achieved all three with the additions of Dereck Lively, Richaun Holmes, and Grant Williams.

However, the most significant addition came in the form of re-signing Irving. Back in June, owner Mark Cuban made it clear that the team's plan was to go all in on Irving. He mentioned how he did not want a repeat of what happened with Jalen Brunson. The Mavs eventually splurged by re-signing Irving to a three-year, $142 million dollar contract.

Irving's new contract made him the 21st-highest-paid player in the league, four spots behind Luka Doncic. Last week, Cuban spoke about Irving's role and impact within the organization. The Mavs owner detailed what the All-Star guard can bring to the table.

"He can score at will and keep the scoreboard moving when Doncic goes to the bench or takes a few plays off during a quarter."

Mark Cuban

Three weeks later, Irving made his presence known when competing in the Drew League. He suited up for the Nationwide Souljas and notched a triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Nicknamed "Uncle Drew," it is Irving's flashy style that makes him a fan favorite, but his on-court play and fit in Dallas is what will make him a favorite for Mavericks fans.

Here are five reasons why Dallas won't regret resigning the eight-time NBA all-star.

1. Playoff experience

Kyrie Irving is entering his 13th year in the league. He will bring a ton of past playoff success to a team looking to bounce back. In six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he went to the playoff three times. In those appearances, Irving made three NBA finals.

With the help of Lebron James and Kevin Love, Uncle Drew helped the Cavaliers make their second finals appearance in franchise history. While he missed a majority of the 2015 Finals, it was his presence that helped the city get over the hump.

In 2016, Irving got his revenge against the Golden State Warriors. The Mavs’ guard hit a last second three-pointer in Game 7 to help Cleveland clinch their first NBA title.

Since his Finals appearances in Cleveland, Irving has missed the playoffs three times. However, he has yet to reach the promised land again, as injuries always seem to get the best of him.

Leaning on his experience will be handy for a team looking to get back into the postseason. He might even be the key to helping Doncic get his first NBA title, as Irving will bring a healthy dose of experience, wisdom, and guidance when it comes to deep playoff runs.

2. Impact on Luka Doncic

Before the arrival of Irving last season, Doncic was the main offensive threat. The team’s sole focus was creating space for their All-Star by either setting picks or running plays on the top of the key. This strategy forced the opposition's defense to collapse wherever Doncic was headed.

This sort of strategy can work with Irving in the mix. If Dallas continues to prioritize Doncic on the offensive end, it will do one of two things. First, it will create more opportunities for Irving, as defenses are forced to lean toward Doncic. Second, it will give Irving leverage while controlling the ball.  

With Doncic at the helm, Irving will be able to drive to the basket and create open opportunities for his teammates.

Back on March 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, Doncic and Irving both showcased what they can do together. With 9:50 left in the first quarter, Doncic was able to reel in a second defender, leaving Irving open in the corner for a three. A minute later, Dallas was able to use Doncic as a decoy on top of the key. This allowed Irving to steer away from his defender for a basket.

When healthy, both players have the ability to compliment each other's game.

3. Irving's three-point game

Last season, the Dallas Mavericks attempted 41 three-pointers per game. This was the third-highest in the league. The problem was, the team only made 15.2 of their attempts. For the record, only three players on the team who shot seven or more three-pointers a game last season made 34% or more of their attempts.

On top of the list was Irving, who converted 39.2% of his threes. In his final game for Dallas last season, Irving dropped in 31 points, converting 60% of his shots from long range.

For his career, Irving is a 39.1% three-point shooter. Over the past seven seasons, his three-point percentage has yet to drop below 37%. His best year came in the 2014-2015 season when he knocked in 41.5% of his attempts.

In his first game with Dallas, Irving made 50% of his threes. In March and April, he converted 40% of his long-range shots.

Irving's presence can be beneficial for a team that shoots over 40 threes a game. Remember earlier how I showed a video of Irving being open at the three because opposing defenses collapsed on Doncic? This is exactly the sort of impact he can have.

4. Best option for Luka Doncic and the Mavericks

When the Mavs drafted Doncic, the plan was simple: surround him with talent to help Dallas win another title. Yet, in five seasons, the team has struggled to get Doncic help, and Doncic has just one Western Conference finals appearance to his name.

In Doncic's first season on the team, Dallas had an aging Dirk Nowitzki. That same season, Dallas traded for Kristaps Porzingis. However, after three seasons, Dallas scrapped that idea.

After the Porzingis trade, Brunson became the second option behind Doncic. However, due to failed negotiations, Dallas was back to plan A. Now with Irving in the mix, Dallas may have found their sidekick.

Dallas had no other option besides resigning Irving. They were linked to players such as Fred Vanvleet and D’Angelo Russell, but nothing was imminent. Compared to Irving, though, none of the other top free agents gave Dallas the best chance to compete in the playoffs.

Irving was the one player who had multiple all-star and final appearances. He was the one guy who can compete now. If Dallas wanted to win now, then re-signing Irving was the way to go.

And luckily for Doncic, the Mavericks were able to just that, inking Irving to a three-year deal.

5. Offensive powerhouse

Last season, the Dallas Mavericks finished the year with the sixth-best offensive rating. A large part of their success can be attributed to their points per game, as they averaged 114.2 points. And most of that success came from Doncic and Irving.

Doncic was the sole player on the team to drop in 30 points or more. Second on the team was Irving with 27 points. Aside from those two, only Christian Wood and Tim Hardaway Jr. averaged double-digit point totals.

Five games before acquiring Irving, Dallas scored 98, 126, 99, 108 and 105 points. After Irving's acquisition, the team dropped in 110, 122, 128, 124, and 142. In his final three games with the team, Dallas scored 122, 130, and 123 points.

For his career, Irving has a 115.1 offensive rating. During the 2022-2023 season, he eclipsed that number with a 120.8 rating. His field goal percentage is a lethal part of his numbers.

In 20 games with Dallas he knocked in 51% of his field goal attempts - a career-high mark. Free throws became another asset, as he knocked in 94.7% of his attempts (another career-high).

Combined, Irving and Doncic averaged 59.4 points per game last season in Mavericks uniforms. This was more than half of Dallas' 114.2 season average.

It's simple: Keeping Irving allows Dallas to remain an offensive powerhouse.