Kyrie Irving returning to the Mavericks this offseason was widely considered the most likely scenario for the eight-time All-Star. Even so, in the lead-up to NBA free agency—which opened Friday evening—multiple reports indicated that he would be exploring other options, even as the market for his services seemed relatively small.
The Lakers, led by Irving’s fellow former Cavaliers star LeBron James, had been linked to him for a year. On Thursday, it was reported that Irving would meet with the Suns, even though he’d have to take a significant pay cut or have Phoenix agree to a sign-and-trade to land him. Even as late as Friday, he was reportedly set to meet with the Rockets, according to The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko, and was even connected to the 76ers by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst during an appearance on Get Up.
Despite all of that conjecture, just 45 minutes into free agency, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reported Irving’s return to Dallas on a three-year, $126 million deal.
