NBA star Kyrie Irving has made plans to meet with the Phoenix Suns as soon as the free agency period begins on June 30. The Suns currently have Irving's former teammate and close friend from the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant, on their roster.
However, reaching an agreement between Irving and the Suns could be challenging due to various factors, including the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. Irving is eligible for a 5-year, $272 million (£215m) extension with the Mavericks, making it difficult to finalize a deal with the Suns.
According to Bleacher Report, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Houston Rockets are also two teams heavily interested in signing the 31-year-old.
If the Suns were to acquire Irving through a sign-and-trade scenario, they would face limitations due to the first salary-cap projected to be $172 million (£136m). Additionally, they would need access to the $12.4 million (£9m ) non-taxpayer mid-level exception and the $5 (£3.9m) million taxpayer mid-level exception.
The Suns and the Mavericks could explore a sign-and-trade arrangement involving Deandre Ayton. Reports have indicated that the Suns and the Mavericks were close to a trade during the NBA Draft that would have sent Ayton to Dallas.
Whether those discussions would be revisited with Irving now in the mix remains to be seen. ESPN recently reported that Irving desires to find his last NBA team.
If Irving were to join the Suns, he would become part of a star-studded lineup that includes newly acquired Bradley Beal and superstars Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Deandre Ayton. These four players collectively account for over $160 (£126) million in salary against the league's cap.
The Houston Rockets might seek a meeting with Irving. With approximately $60 (£47) million in cap space, the Rockets are poised to enter free agency. However, Irving, eligible for a lucrative four-year max contract valued at nearly $202 million (£158), would consume more than half of Houston's salary cap.
The potential signing of Irving to a four-year max contract could challenge the Rockets in retaining their young talents, including Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun, when their respective rookie deals end.
Jalen Green expressed his admiration for Irving, recalling a game during his rookie season where the eight-time All-Star put up an impressive 42 points, leading the Nets to a victory over the Rockets in April 2022.
These meetings are expected to happen in Los Angeles, leading to further speculation that Irving might also engage with the LA Lakers.
The Lakers have been previously linked to the possibility of signing the talented point guard during the NBA Playoffs, where Irving was spotted attending several Lakers games and supporting the LA Sparks in WNBA matches.
