Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers Agree to Max Contract Offer

In what was one of the least dramatic starts to free agency, Kyrie Irving agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers just after the clock struck midnight on July 1. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert made it official by sending out a tweet that confirmed the news. This represented the maximum that the Cavaliers could give Irving and certainly showed him that he’s their franchise cornerstone.

What does it mean moving forward for the Cavaliers? First off, it means some stability. The Cavs have been poor since LeBron James left town and have been yearning for another superstar to come in and erase the bad memories that LeBron left behind. Irving has been that guy, making the last two All-Star teams, despite not having much help around him (sounds familiar).

Irving averaged 20.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game during the 2013-14 season, appearing in 71 games for the Cavs. There’s no question he’s their best player, but he hasn’t shown the ability to bring success back to Cleveland. His teams have gone just 78-152 in his three seasons, with last season’s 33-49 representing the best finish the Cavs have had since LeBron left town.

More from NBA Free Agency

• 3 NBA teams who’ll be kicking themselves for not upgrading in free agency
• 4 Offseason acquisitions that could push their new NBA team over the top
• Instant Grades for the Lakers’ unprecedented Anthony Davis extension
• 4 NBA stars who demanded a trade that didn’t happen
• NBA Rumors: Chicago pursuing the best remaining free agent

One of the key questions that will arise after this move is whether or not it will pave the way for another star to come to Cleveland. In a word — absolutely. Free agents want to be comfortable knowing there’s that stability and they want to know who they’re going to be spending the next four years of their career with. Now that Irving is locked up, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cavs put the full-court press on LeBron.

A return of James would mean Irving would have that superstar next to him that he hasn’t had in his young career. Don’t forget — the Cavs also drafted Andrew Wiggins and although he’s not likely to have an enormous impact as a rookie, it would surely help to play with two guys like James and Irving.

The deal can’t be made official until July 10, but the announcement of a handshake deal by Gilbert and Irving all but seals the deal. Is Irving actually worth a maximum contract? Well, that’s another story for another day.