Kyrie Irving confirmed earlier today that he will be signing a 3-year, $126 million deal to stay with the Dallas Mavericks. The 8-time All-Star’s contract was negotiated by his agent and stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, who made history by becoming the first Black woman ever to negotiate and facilitate an NBA contract.
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Kyrie Irving’s agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, will become the first Black woman to negotiate and complete an NBA contract. https://t.co/hcI5HaKDAe
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
Irving acknowledged the role of his mother via an Instagram story.
Irving was linked to a number of teams during this year’s free agency after the Mavs’ spectacular setback before the postseason. This included the likes of the Miami Heat, the Houston Rockets, and even the LA Lakers.
However, the veteran guard appears to be thinking of his long-term future. Dallas is where he wants to be. He will also be happy with a 3-year deal which will earn him as much as $42 million annually.
The contract was successfully negotiated by Shetellia Riley Irving, who is Kyrie’s father Drederick’s second wife.
The unique achievement was first reported by Shams Charania on Twitter. Kyrie re-shared the post on Instagram, with the following caption:
“History for the tribe.”
Shetellia has been married to Kyrie’s father since 2004. His biological mother, Elizabeth, had sadly passed away when Irving was just 4 years old.
Kyrie Irving hyping up his step mom pic.twitter.com/dsqnEX5YyS
— NewsMan (@WhenInDoubt4242) July 1, 2023
The Mavericks ended up having to let go of multiple assets in the form of Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick, and multiple second-round picks, to sign Kyrie.
Dallas Mavericks in crucial phase after re-signing Irving
The Dallas Mavericks have lost multiple players and picks in their bid to sign Irving. The front office clearly still believes that he has the potential to make the team better despite the disastrous start to his career as a Maverick.
Along with rookie Dereck Lively II, the Mavs have moved quickly in the offseason. Both Irving and Doncic largely play as primary ball handlers and have struggled to get wins for their team together.
Breaking: Kyrie Irving has agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract to return to the Mavericks, sources tell @espn_macmahon and @ramonashelburne. pic.twitter.com/la2pKNsa7K
— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2023
Even if they end up thriving next season, fans might view the sheer value of the contract as a stumbling block for the near future. Nobody doubts Irving’s talent. However, his personal issues and injury troubles have made some fans believe that the Mavs made the wrong decision.
The Dallas Mavericks were nicely poised to make the Playoffs before trading for Irving. They then lost the plot in the final weeks. The team failed to make the Playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 NBA season, when Doncic was only a rookie. Irving also underwent a range of controversies and was called out for his colorful social media history in recent months.
