5 teams that should sign Kyrie Irving for 2023-24 NBA season
Kyrie Irving is one of the best guards in the league. He's incredibly talented, but has been involved in numerous controversies that have tainted his image.
However, these haven't ruined his market value as Irving is still very valuable and could turn many teams into contenders.
The former NBA champion is in the final year of his contract and will be paid $38.9 million. He will hit free agency this summer and will likely have several suitors.
Here are five teams that could look to sign him ahead of next season:
#1 LA Lakers
Irving was not involved in too many controversies when he played alongside LeBron James in Cleveland. Due to this, the Lakers should consider signing him this summer and reuniting him with James.
LeBron has already expressed his desire to play with his former teammate. If the Lakers don't bring D'Angelo Russell back this summer, they should try to acquire Irving.
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#2 Miami Heat
The Miami Heat have been one of the most successful teams over the past few years. However, it's very unlikely that they will win a championship as long as Jimmy Butler has to do al the heavy lifting.
Kyle Lowry seems to have lost his step and the Heat don't have any other playmaker to run the floor. Due to this, signing Kyrie Irving would be perfect.
Irving is also close to Bam Adebayo and could turn the Heat into contenders. This could be a match made in heaven, but the Heat will need to free up cap space to offer the former NBA champion a big contract.
#3 LA Clippers
If Irving doesn't end up with the Lakers, why shouldn't their city rivals sign him?
Russell Westbrook is currently the primary playmaker for the LA Clippers, who have a high ceiling. But there is no doubt that Kyrie Irving is a much better player who brings a lot more to the table than Westbrook.
The Clippers already have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. However, they haven't been able to achieve any significant results with them. Adding a third star would make them much more dangerous.
Kyrie Irving knows what it takes to win it all and he could drastically improve the team. But the price for Irving may be too high.
#4 Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls haven't been very successful in recent years. They haven't made the Eastern Conference finals since Derrick Rose's MVP season and may miss the playoffs this year as well.
It appears that the Bulls are not quite sure what to do about DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, as they were interested in trading them earlier this season. They could drastically improve if they replace one of them with Kyrie Irving.
The Bulls have several players on expiring contracts, including Nikola Vucevic and Coby White. Lonzo Ball has dealt with so many injury problems that it doesn't appear he'll be ready to play at a high level soon.
Signing Kyrie Irving would be beneficial as it would positively impact the Bulls. The star point guard, on the other hand, wouldn't have too much pressure on him as Chicago isn't expected to be a contender.
#5 Dallas Mavericks
As crazy as it sounds, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving might achieve great results if they are given enough time to gel. Irving was acquired in February and the two have played together for less than two months.
The Mavericks desperately need another star to play alongside Doncic. While Irving may not be the perfect co-star, he might be enough.
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If the Mavericks decide to re-sign Irving, they may also look for another head coach. Jason Kidd has got solid results, but they need someone who can unlock the full potential of the two superstars.