Sit tight. I’m about to answer all the questions you really shouldn’t have anymore.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to offer Kyrie Irving a max contract extension, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald:
The Cavs are expected to make a maximum contract extension offer to guard Kyrie Irving.
“Those discussions are set to take place post-July 1, that’s when they’re going to take place,” Griffin said.
Are you all right? I’m hoping that didn’t blow your mind. It’s pretty damn spectacular and unexpected. Life-changing, even.
Except it isn’t. He was always going to receive a max extension offer. It’s just that this is officially the offseason for the Cavs, so it seems a bit more relevant now.
The question on everyone’s minds, of course, is: Will Irving sign said extension?
Allow me to answer that with another question: Would you?
Of course you would. Irving is headed for a payday close to nine figures. Who among us wouldn’t accept that?
Although NBA players are different, those on their rookie deals are more inclined to sign where the money is. So in other words, they’ll go nowhere.
Veterans will talk about how money doesn’t matter, about how they only want to win. Most of them are full of crap. They want money. It matters. Some of them are telling the truth. Those title-seeking sages will sign at a discount.
Players in Irving’s situation are different. This is the first opportunity he has to cash in big on his talents. By signing this extension, his $9.2 million salary for 2015-16 would jump to somewhere around $13.7 million or more. But more than that $4 to 5 million jump is the guaranteed cash. Signing on for five years and potentially $90-plus million does wonders for your checking and savings accounts, small business ideas, rap or pop-punk album hopes and anything else you can dream up.
Walking away from that will be difficult. Even if Irving wanted to leave, the money will be in Cleveland, begging him to take it. Not that he actually wants to leave. Rumors have run rampant this season, but most recently, he spoke like a player who wanted to stay, win and get filthy rich right where he is.
From Jodie Valade of The Cleveland Plain Dealer:
“I’ve been a part of this and I want to continue to be a part of this,” he said. “We’re making strides in the right direction, especially in this organization. I want to be part of something special, and I want to be part of something special in Cleveland.
“I don’t have a definitive answer to that right now, but it’ll be something special. I can guarantee that.”
[…]
“It’s a big deal for me and my family if they do offer that. It would be exciting, and I’ll make the best decision for me and my family. That’s what it’s going to boil down to for myself.”
What. Is. Up.
All Irving-may-force-a-trade-from-the-Cavs conspiracy theorists—which includes myself to a certain extent (but only a certain extent)—can suck on this. Chew it. Digest it. He’s finally saying the right things. Not only is that great, but his words cannot be manipulated into something they aren’t. There is no reading between lines when there aren’t any lines to read between.
As of this very moment, Irving appears happy in Cleveland.
It’s tough to be a sourpuss when you’re barreling toward a lucrative, obnoxiously generous, universally enviable payday, after all.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
