Kyrie Irving is currently an Unrestricted Free Agent. The contract worth $36,503,300 that he signed originally with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks expired this year. Speaking on Undisputed, Skip Bayless claimed that the Houston Rockets will end up signing Kyrie Irving from Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets recently made former Celtics’ boss Imes Udoka their new head coach. Also, Irving was recently revealed to be pushing the Mavericks to sign LeBron James. Still, Bayless believes that there is still a chance Irving ends up moving to the Rockets.
Advertisement
Udoka was the assistant manager at the Nets for the 2020-21 season and has worked with Kyrie. Bayless believes that while the Rockets will be looking to sign Harden, Udoka wants one bonafide star. This could instead end up being former Celtics and Nets star Kyrie Irving.
Skip Bayless believes Imes Udoka wants to sign one bonafide star for the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets had a disastrous season. They were the 4th-worst offensive team and the 3rd-word defensive team across the league.
Featuring some top young stars in the form of Jalen Green, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr., the Rockets obviously need a big star. They finished 14th in the Western Conference last season and need a huge turnaround in order to gain relevancy.
Report: Rockets interested in Kyrie if they can't land Harden
"Ime Udoka wants a bonafide star. He's saying: 'I can handle Kyrie. Give me Kyrie, I can make it work.'" — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/vrpmR6TTYP
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) June 12, 2023
According to Skip Bayless, Udoka believes only signing a bonafide top star makes that possible. While James Harden has a track record, a potential partnership with Irving might prove even more unlikely. Chances are the Houston Rockets fans get their hands on only one of the two superstars:
“Here is what I believe is happening behind the scenes in Houston. They have a new coach, his name is Ime Udoka, who transformed that Celtics roster into viable Playoff contenders. They got all the way to game 6 of the NBA Finals. He had an issue, paid for it, he is the new head coach in Houston. I like him a lot. He has impressed me. He is pretty good.”
Skip continued:
“He is saying, ‘You gotta give me one bonafide proven star at least. Without it, we don’t have any chance. We will be right back in the lottery. Give me something.’ Trust me, he is saying, ‘Give me Kyrie, I can make it work.’ The primary focus seems to be on just signing James (Harden).
Can Kyrie Irving and James Harden team up again?
Playing for the Rockets will be a much different experience than playing for the Nets. The Houston Rockets already have a young core that only needs guidance and improvement to become a top NBA team.
With Irving and Harden leading the way, the journey can become much easier. However, the two did not have the best of time together at the Nets.
Harden has been inconsistent in recent months and has struggled to find his best basketball. Irving on the other hand, might not want to leave a more advanced Mavericks team that can also compete for the title, if the right changes are made.
