Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear complicates a lot for the Dallas Mavericks, and not just because he’ll miss the rest of the season. It could also impact his current contract situation with the organization.

Irving has a player option for $44 million in 2026. He could opt in, he and the Mavericks could try to work out another contract during the offseason, or he could sign elsewhere.

CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn suggested that the Mavericks give Irving another contract and outlined how both sides could agree to a new deal by using what the Minnesota Timberwolves did with one of their players not too long ago.

“Rudy Gobert gave (Dallas) a template when he declined his $46.6 million 2025-26 player option to re-sign in Minnesota for $109.5 million over three years. Doing so lowered his immediate cap hit, but guaranteed him long-term money,” Quinn wrote.

He added why this option would appeal to Irving.

“Irving, given the risk of entering free agency in 2026 coming off of an ACL tear, would probably be amenable to something like that, and by locking him in long-term, the Mavericks would probably have an easier time convincing him to be cautious when it comes to his recovery timeline,” Quinn wrote.

Irving has been a key contributor in Dallas since joining the team in 2023. Although trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis was controversial, it still signaled that the Mavericks wanted a winner.

Thus, keeping him in the long term should be their biggest priority until the dust settles from dealing Doncic. Given everything that’s gone wrong for Dallas, losing Irving is something they can’t afford to do.

Re-signing the NBA champion while recovering from injury would also signal the Mavericks’ loyalty to him.

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