Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury during their 122-88 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, according to the team.
Irving seemingly battled through a lot of pain and stepped up to the free-throw line to give himself a chance to remain in the game, knocking down both before exiting the floor for the final time this season.
The nine-time All-Star has a chance to opt out of his contract this offseason, as he could seek a bigger payday from the Mavericks or choose to leave in free agency. Former Mavs forward Chandler Parsons has a couple of potential destinations in mind for the 2016 NBA champion.
“If I’m his agent right now, I’m talking to the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets and I am opting out and signing a three or four-year deal with one of those teams that has a bright future,” Parsons said.
Former NBA guard Lou Williams brought up that Magic guard Jalen Suggs is already dealing with a knee injury, so Orlando may not want to go out and get another injured player at the same position.
However, the Rockets could make sense, as they’re seeking a seasoned superstar to help a young group of guys better position themselves for a deep playoff run. Irving is an elite scorer at all three levels, which will force opposing defenses to account for him no matter where he is on the floor.
Houston is stacked with elite defenders, namely Amen Thompson, which will help mask some of Irving’s deficiencies on that side of the floor while allowing the Duke product to disrupt the passing lanes. Alperen Sengun would also welcome another easy kick-out option whenever he draws double teams in the post.
If Irving truly feels like his time in Dallas is up, then a move to Southern Texas could very well be in play.
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