Give up the player option! Irving cuts his salary and renews his contract, is the Mavericks worth the 119 million bet?

The free throw from the court was left in the painful pain of the cruciate ligament, which became a turning point prediction for Irving's Mavericks' career.

March 4, American Airlines Center in Dallas. When Irving broke through, his left knee was bent and fell to the ground. After enduring the severe pain and completing the free throw, he was helped to leave the field amid the shouts of "MVP". The confirmed report of torn anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee made this scene a footnote to the tragic scene. Ten weeks later, a renewal news shocked the league. Irving gave up the $43 million player option and stayed behind the Mavericks for 3 years and $119 million, of which the 2027-28 season was the player option. This contract, with an average annual average of $40 million, is a direct reduction of $2 million from his original salary. When the 33-year-old knee underwent its third overhaul, the stadium artist's game with Dallas has just begun.

The cruciate ligament torn, a fatal turning point in his career

The first quarter of the regular season against the Kings, Irving collided with Valanciunas while breaking through, and his left knee was instantly deformed. Although he insisted on completing two free throws, his tearful expression when leaving the field has predicted the cruelty of the ending. The next day, medical reports were like ice water toppings, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the left knee was completely torn, and the season was reimbursed. The ACL tear can be called the "professional killer" of basketball players. From Derek Ross to Jamal Murray, countless superstars died after injuries. For 33-year-old Irving, this is the third major operation in his left knee. The inflammation recurred after the steel nail was implanted in 2015 and the steel nail was removed in 2018, and the injury history was full of bumps. What's more serious is the timeline. Medical expert Evan Jeffries pointed out: "The average recovery period of ACL takes 8-12 months." Even if calculated as the fastest time, Irving will have to wait until January 2026 to return and miss the next season for at least two months. The Mavericks' concerns are concretely reflected in data. Irving only played 50 games this season, and his attendance rate has just exceeded 60%. When Van Vleet, who had earned an annual salary of 40 million yuan, played all the time, Irving's glass attributes were particularly dazzling at the negotiating table. The choice at the intersection is full of thorns. Irving's dilemma

The choices before Irving are full of thorns. If the 44 million player option is implemented, theoretically, it can renew the maximum salary of 240 million for four years, but the Mavericks have hinted that they will refuse such long-term contracts. Reject the option to try the free market? Salary expert Bobby Marks poured cold water: "Except for the Nets, the salary space of no team exceeds 40 million." The more cruel reality is: when the history of three knee surgery is written into the medical report, the invitation from the championship team turned into a bubble. An Eastern Conference executive admitted: "No one is willing to bet with the maximum salary of 33 years old and get hurt his leg. If you sign first and then exchange, you may send him to the bottom team." The salary cut and renewal have thus become the "optimal solution": the loss of 24 million to ensure income in exchange for the stability of the championship lineup. After his comeback in 2026, he can still partner with Healthy Thick Brows and strive for the championship with the support of puzzles such as Gafford and Lively.

chain reaction, the undercurrents of the free market

Irving's salary cut was like a stone thrown into the lake, and ripples spread to the entire free market. The most direct shock came from Harden's team - several executives revealed that the Clippers have anchored Harden's offer to an annual salary of 40 million yuan. "Irving's contract has become the salary benchmark for the point guard." A Western Conference team manager analyzed, "If he gets over 40 million, the Harden team will definitely kill the same price; now the salary cuts, the Clippers may be reduced to 80 million in two years." This benchmarking effect even affects the next contracts of stars such as Lillard and Trae Young.

The Mavericks themselves also face the domino effect. The salary Irving saved can be used to renew young insiders such as Gafford and Lefley, but the premise is that Thick Brows remain healthy, who has suffered repeated groin injuries this season and has an attendance rate of only 58%. In the rehabilitation room after the operation, Irving once whispered to the trainer: "I will come back under their doubts." This three-year, 119 million contract is the ultimate bet for his career. When he returns to the arena in January 2026, every change in his left knee will bear a heavier gaze than the defender.

The Mavericks' No. 1 pick has been selected for Matas Flag, and the countdown to the rise of the new star has begun. Irving's annual salary of 40 million is like quicksand in an hourglass. It either reshapes the glory before the grains of sand fall, or exits sadly in a young storm. The sky of Dallas is never short of legends, and this comeback of dignity may write the most shocking final chapter.