DALLAS — Kyrie Irving made a polite request during a news conference Monday evening to introduce him to the Dallas media: Please do not ask him about his future beyond this season.
The Dallas Mavericks traded for Irving last week despite not having any assurances he would remain with the franchise after his contract expires at the end of the season. Irving and the Mavs agreed to not discuss a potential contract extension until after the playoffs, and Irving made it clear Monday that he does not intend to talk about the subject publicly for the remainder of the season.
“It puts unwarranted distractions on us and our team,” Irving said before making his home debut for the Mavericks in a 124-121 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I’ve dealt with it before, and it’s very emotionally draining to ask questions like, ‘What’s the long term? What’s the long term?'”
Irving’s home debut in Dallas was both spectacular and disappointing. He scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter — the most points in any quarter of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information research — but the Mavs’ comeback attempt fell short when they failed to get a shot up on the final possession.
Luka Doncic and Irving passed the ball back and forth a few times before Irving coughed up a turnover just before the final buzzer.
“I’m still trying to emotionally recover, man,” Irving said in his postgame media availability, covering his head in his hands. “It’s still so raw. Ah, man. I would have liked to at least get a shot up.”
Because he was recently traded, Irving is eligible to sign only a two-year contract extension worth a maximum of $83 million during the season. He could sign a four-year, $220.6 million supermax extension during free agency or re-sign with the Mavs for up to $272 million over five years as a free agent.
The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams that could have significant salary-cap space that are expected to be suitors for Irving in the offseason. LeBron James, who won a championship in Cleveland with Irving, has publicly expressed a desire to reunite with him and bemoaned the Lakers’ failure to get a trade done after they made an offer to Brooklyn of Russell Westbrook and a pair of first-round picks.
“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with, and know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind,…
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