05-13-2025, 11:47 AM
(05-13-2025, 10:34 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: Kyrie is Nico’s guy. He values him heavily. Despite his injury, the team has raved about how integral he has been to the locker room and chemistry of the team. Quelling the outside noise and keeping the team together. And of course, he’s still/was an elite guard. The injury doesn’t really change that.
Those things are very valued by the Mavs/Nico. I think Kyrie maintains his current deal or even get a slight bump. If you look at this team from the view that it’s basically complete and they just added an elite 2-way wing for free, it makes sense to be ok going into the 2nd apron for a year or trade others vs. pay cutting Kyrie.
I’d be shocked if he took a pay cut voluntarily and it’d be wishful thinking to think he’d do a 1+1 deal coming off an ACL tear at 33.
What urgency does Dallas have to do anything right now?
I think Kyrie's at a point in his career where he values stability, so I suspect that, all else being equal, he'd prefer to stay in Dallas.
From Dallas' perspective, wouldn't it be nice to know what his recovery looks like, and what he's capable of, before committing a huge chunk of payroll? Maybe he's really a $17m/yr. Klay-type player after rehab.
I'd rather take the chance of him walking at the end of the year, rather than tying their hands for the next 2 years from a roster-building perspective.