Kyrie Irving is set for free agency this offseason, and most of the talk has centered either around the eight-time All-Star sticking with the Dallas Mavericks or possibly even trying to reunite with LeBron James by joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, James has his own batch of rumors swirling this offseason, from retirement to even finding a new team as he sets to embark on his 21st NBA season.
But what about Irving and James teaming up again, only this time for the Mavericks instead of the Cleveland Cavaliers?
According to Shams Charania, Irving has been trying to recruit James this offseason in an attempt to see if he’d have any interest in coming to Dallas to team up with Luka Doncic. Even more, Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes says the Mavericks were also preparing to present a trade offer for James last season before Los Angeles rebounded following several trade deadline acquisitions.
James has one more year on his contract, where he’s set to earn roughly $46.9 million in 2023, with an additional player option for $50 million in 2024. But if Irving gets his way, the two could be trying to help the Mavericks win their second NBA championship in franchise history next year instead. The two previously won a championship with the Cavs in 2016, with both stars playing key roles throughout the postseason.
Complicating matters is the fact that the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement prevents teams from having three max-level contracts on their roster at once. Since Irving is the only one set for free agency, he’d have to be willing to sacrifice some money to form the trio in Dallas.
Related: Top 2023 NBA free agents: Best 100 available with positional breakdowns