Kyrie Irving Rumors: Rockets Expect to Meet With Mavs FA Amid Fred VanVleet Buzz

While most prognostications leading up to the start of 2023 NBA free agency have paired Fred VanVleet with the Houston Rockets, the team is at least keeping its options open at point guard.

Per The Athletic's Kelly Iko, the Rockets are "expecting to meet" with Kyrie Irving at some point in the free-agent process.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said on Tuesday's episode of SportsCenter that the list of teams for which Irving would consider leaving the Dallas Mavericks that "would make sense" and "are available to him" is "extremely limited" and the "full expectation is that he returns in Dallas" (starts at 2:30 mark).

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Thursday it "would be a legitimate leaguewide surprise" if the Rockets didn't reach agreements with VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on Friday night.

At the very least, Irving could be using the Rockets to increase his negotiating leverage with the Mavericks.

Houston has $60.6 million in projected practical cap space this offseason, most in the NBA. The gap between the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs in second place with $37.5 million available is more than the gap from the Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in seventh place ($16.6 million in projected practical cap space).

B/R's Chris Haynes reported Irving is also intending to meet with the Phoenix Suns when free agency begins. The Suns already have $175.1 million in active cap commitments and $41.8 million in cap holds with just eight players under contract.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Thursday's episode of Get Up there's "not much of a market" for Irving, with the Los Angeles Lakers, once thought to be a potential landing spot, showing little interest so far.

Haynes noted Irving is eligible to sign a five-year max deal worth $272 million with the Mavericks. He could receive a four-year, $202 million deal from another team.

The Rockets' potential aggressiveness this offseason comes as the franchise is looking to take steps forward. They have lost at least 55 games in each of the past three seasons and haven't made the playoffs since 2019-20.

Irving played 20 games for the Mavs last season after being acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged 27.1 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in 60 starts between the two teams.