Grading the 11 biggest headline-grabbing day 1 NBA Free Agency signings

Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

The contract: 3 years, $126 million

Despite trying to generate buzz that he was going to take free agency meetings, Kyrie Irving was one of the first big signings to be announced when free agency opened. In the end, Kyrie re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year deal. He clearly didn’t get the long-term contract offer that he wanted, but he at least got the big-money feature that he was seeking. This contract averages out to a little over $40 million per season.

While this is a move that the Mavs had to make, I’m not high on investing this much money in the most unpredictable player in the NBA. From a talent standpoint, this is a huge win for the Mavs. Kyrie is one of the most talented players in the league; there’s no doubt about it. However, from a locker room point of view, this is a move that could end up paralyzing the franchise in the future.

I’m not sure how this all plays out for Kyrie and the Mavs but after acquiring him at the NBA Trade Deadline, this extension needed to happen. But if the wheels fall off quickly, this is a contract that will be almost impossible to trade.

Grade: C-