NBA Rumors: Kyrie Irving Seen as Likely to Sign 3-Year Contract by Insiders

After being acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving will eventually have to decide whether he will stick around in Dallas long-term or walk away in free agency this summer.

Zach Lowe said on Monday's episode of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast that there's a belief Irving plans to sign a three-year extension with his new team.

"The rumor going around today is that three years was gonna end up being where whatever team ended up with Kyrie Irving, ended up on a new contract," Lowe said at the 20:30 mark.

Irving requested to be traded from the Nets last Friday after the team failed to meet his expectations for a possible contract extension. Brooklyn risked the possibility of losing him for nothing after the season, so it granted him his wish and shipped him to Dallas.

On Sunday, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that "extension talks are expected to be put off until this summer," as Irving is eligible for a two-year extension now but can get a four-year deal if he waits until the offseason. If the 30-year-old walks, the Mavs will have "close to max salary cap space" to spend in free agency.

Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season. He's expected to provide Dallas with another superstar player alongside Luka Dončić to help the team chase after an NBA championship this year.

Many are wondering how Dončić and Irving will fit together on the court, as both of them are ball-dominant guards who specialize in isolation plays on offense. Irving also is not known as the best defender, so Dallas could face challenges on that end of the floor.

Despite all this uncertainty, the Mavs were willing to take a chance on Irving in hopes of contending for a title. If the team manages to achieve its goal, their partnership could continue beyond this year. If Irving departs over the summer, the cap space is a solid consolation prize for Dallas to attract other big-name free agents.