Kyrie Irving just signed a 3-year $126 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks to return for the next season with the team. Initially, he was speculated to join LeBron James in Los Angeles. There were also reports of him meeting with the Phoenix Suns and reuniting with his old pal Kevin Durant, so Irving’s move was likely a sigh of relief for most Mavericks fans. However, former Boston Celtics player Brian Scalabrine doesn’t believe that the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving duo will survive beyond the next season. Irving and Doncic earn a total of $341,000,000 with their contracts, which is massive for any all-star duo. Moreover, this does not leave room for the team to sign any star players to fill up the roster. Having no other big names on the roster would barely have helped them become a championship contender in the past. And so, Scalabrine predicts a failed season again would only push one of them to ask for the trade.
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Free agent Kyrie Irving has agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks, with a player option in third season, @TheAthletic @Stadium learned.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
Even before Irving joined Dallas, he voiced his desire to make his next team his home for life. Kyrie said that the next team he plays for will be his last. Signing a three-year contract with the Mavericks is a hint toward a long-term future with the team. However, his words do not align with the fact that he has chosen a player option in the third year of the contract.
Brian Scalabrine says either Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic will ask for a trade by February next season
According to Scalabrine, by February, either Kyrie or Luka is going to put in a trade request. The former Celtics player doesn’t believe that this duo can work for another season, let alone three years. He reminded his co-hosts that last year, when Kyrie was traded, the Mavs were fourth in the conference. And after the trade, they were 11th and couldn’t make the playoffs. He believes the same will happen yet again because their contracts would not allow for an excellent roster. Take a look at his statement in the tweet below by ‘hoops bot‘.
[Brian Scalabrine] “Kyrie or Luka will be asking for a trade by February” pic.twitter.com/almEtRWkZG
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) July 1, 2023
Looking at the past relationship between Irving and his teams doesn’t give a good impression of trust for the Mavericks. In the past, ‘Uncle Drew’ has demanded a trade either mid-season or after the season after a slight disappointment or miscommunication with the team or management. Moreover, history is a testament to the fact that with Kyrie comes more drama. On the other hand, over his short NBA career, it is not hard to say that Luka Doncic is a winner either. Still, he alone has carried his team in the playoffs and frankly has a more promising playoff standing than Irving. Looking at the scenario, if Dallas does not start winning, ‘Luka Magic’ might ask for the trade as well.
The Kyrie Irving-Luka Doncic duo hasn’t proved a thing in the past
Last season, after the 2016 NBA champion demanded a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, there were speculations that he would join his former championship teammate, LeBron James in Los Angeles. However, to the surprise of many, Irving joined the Mavs. Dallas gave up some of their important core pieces in order to bring in Irving, which was largely the reason for their exit from the playoffs. Since Irving joined the team, the Mavs have slipped from the 4th spot to the 11th spot in the Western Conference. Both stars on the team are ball-dominant players, and they need the ball in their hands in order to increase their production on the floor. Such scenarios largely hurt the team deeper into the season. However, it is yet to be seen how Jason Kidd and Co. would manage to strike a balance between the two players.
