NBA Rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers may think Kyrie Irving hasn’t earned a max contract
By Josh Hill
The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering a critical phase in the development of their franchise. But fans are starting to grow tired of waiting for the team to get good again and that may put pressure on contract negotiations between the team and star point guard Kyrie Irving. It’s widely believed that Irving will lock down a max contract this offseason, but not everyone is blindly onboard with the idea.
Jason Llyod from the Akron Beacon Journal states that while there’s no doubting Irving’s popularity in the NBA, there are questions about whether or not he’s actually earned a max contract on the court.
"He has the opportunity to sign a max contract this summer, and the Cavs will certainly offer it. I wonder, however, has he actually earned it? … He’s scoring less than last season and shooting worse. His assists are up marginally and his turnovers are down slightly, but this hasn’t been the significant leap he spoke of nine months ago."
Bringing up the idea of Irving not getting a max deal seems blasphemous, but Llyod brings up very valid points. There’s no doubt that the Cavs will hand Irving a max deal in the offseason though, as doing so would mean fully investing in him as the future of the franchise, something almost everyone can agree is a wise move.
Still, there won’t be unanimous praise that a deal was handed out, especially if it means that some key players aren’t retained in the process.