Kyrie Irving has decided to refuse to execute player options for the 2025-26 season

Another big news in the NBA offseason! According to famous reporter Shams Charania, Kyrie Irving has decided to refuse to execute the $43 million player option for the 2025-26 season, and instead reached a new three-year, $119 million contract with the Mavericks, which includes the 2027-28 season player option.

This decision not only allowed Irving to stay in the team for a long time, but also helped the Mavericks unlock a $5.7 million mini middle class special case, providing key salary space for the team to strengthen in the free market.

Irving's contract renewal can be called a "sacrificial signing" - if he executes the 43 million player option, he can sign a super maximum salary of up to 4 years and 4 years in the future. But considering the potential for injury to the tear of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on the left knee, Irving chose to cut his salary and stay in Dallas with a more flexible contract structure.

According to Marc Stein's analysis, this new contract allows the Mavericks to successfully avoid the second rich line and unlock 5.7 million mini middle class special cases. This means that the team can sign a main-level defender while Irving is recovering from his injury (an expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season) to fill the lineup. Potential targets include:

Teus Jones (stable field-controlled guard)

Denis Schroeder (experienced substitute point guard)

Irving suffered a left knee ACL tear in March this year, which is his third major knee injury in his career (surgery in 2015 and 2018). Medical experts predict that he will not make a comeback as early as January 2026, and will be at least 34 years old.

Despite the extremely high risk of injury, the Mavericks still choose to trust Irving. After all, the latter's ability is obvious to all. After Doncic left the team, Irving was one of the team's most trusted breakups. His cooperation with Davis has just begun. With Flag, the Mavericks' future is worth looking forward to.

With Irving's contract renewal, the Mavericks' offseason strategy is clear:

Signed a combat defender with 5.7 million yuan to ensure the team's competitiveness during Irving's recovery.

strive to train 2025 No. 1 pick Matas Flag to build the core of the future.

After Irving returned in 2026, he made an attempt to play in the playoffs and avoided playing badly for two consecutive years. Is

Irving's decision risky or wise? Can the Mavericks remain competitive while he recovers from his injuries? The answer will be announced in the new season!