Ranking the 4 Likeliest NBA Franchises Kyrie Irving Ruins Next

Kyrie Irving is set to hit free agency, and we’re never sure what’s going on with Kyrie. All indications are that he’d like to return to the Dallas Mavericks and run it back with Luka Doncic, but we never can be too sure. We know about his love for LeBron James and the allure of becoming a Los Angeles Laker. Rumors are swirling about the Houston Rockets targeting him, and we still don’t know if the Mavs want to pay Kyrie what he’s asking.

In an offseason full of storylines, here are the likeliest landing spots for Kyrie Irving.

A return to Dallas makes the most sense while looking like the best spot for Kyrie to get his money. While the second half of the season wasn’t great for the Mavs, the tandem of Luka and Kyrie showed flashes of greatness. The Mavs’ top needs are interior presence and defensive wings. Still, a Kyrie return would give Luka a championship-level co-star, which isn’t available on the free-agent market. The Mavs’ acquisition of Kyrie was an all-in move; they’d be foolish not to double down.

In the wake of Chris Paul’s departure from Phoenix, it’s surprising there aren’t more rumblings of Kyrie to the Suns. His friendship with Kevin Durant is well-known, and a trio with Devin Booker would make the Suns’ championship favorites. Logistically, a sign and trade for DeAndre Ayton would solve the finances while giving the Mavs a much-needed big man who needs a fresh start. Basketball-wise, it works. Logistically, it works. Ego-wise, it works. Unless the Suns are not interested in acquiring Kyrie, expect to hear rumors about Phoenix as a landing spot in the coming weeks.  

In a perfect world, Kyrie would already be a Laker. It’s well-known he badly wants to don the purple and gold with LeBron James. The fit would be seamless on the court and re-open the championship window for the remainder of LeBron’s tenure. Financially, I have no idea how they’d make it work. First, Kyrie would need to take a pay cut, and then the Lakers would need to abandon their depth, namely Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. I don’t think anyone would be shocked if Kyrie takes a massive financial hit since he’s done crazier things, but a lot needs to happen before this scenario becomes a reality.

The Rockets are star-hunting openly. Their priority is James Harden, but if he chooses to remain in Philadelphia or go elsewhere, the Rockets could target Irving as Plan B. While the Rockets stink, they’re heading in the right direction. They have a solid young core led by Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr., with the fourth overall pick in this draft being another young foundational piece. I wouldn’t add Kyrie or any star to this team yet. They need more time to figure themselves out and see what roles they’re best in, but the Rockets will be linked to every available star until they land one.