When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, they said it was because he didn’t fit into their win-now vision. Now, if they are committed to that, they need to re-sign their superstar guard, Kyrie Irving. However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, a poll of NBA executives revealed Irving will have a lot of leverage going into negotiations with his team. 

“Now, executives polled for this story unanimously consider Irving the player who has the most leverage heading into the 2025 offseason,” Marks wrote. “One of the biggest reasons why: his $43 million player option for 2025-26, which, if declined, will send Irving into free agency for the third time in his career.”

Insiders have already started predicting Irving may leave due to the Doncic trade, so the Mavs need to do something quick in order to keep Irving on their squad. 

If Irving wants to stay, he might sign an extension, or use his player option. If he wants to stay but also wants more money due to Doncic leaving, he could opt-out and sign a way bigger and larger contract, which the Mavs may not want to do. 

If the Mavs plan on winning now, they probably will cave to whatever Irving demands. Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson are their big three of the immediate future, so they need to keep all of them to make a title run, and hopefully appease their enraged fans.

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