Dogged by rumors that he was wanted out of Cleveland, franchise cornerstone Kyrie Irving and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert tweeted early Tuesday that they have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension.
The deal will be worth approximately $90 million, the maximum allowed under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.
Irving had one year remaining on his contract. The agreement, which will go into effect next season and will run through the 2019-20 season, was announced by Gilbert on his Twitter feed.
Irving has made two straight All-Star Games, was named MVP of last year’s festival in New Orleans and has positioned himself as the new-age point guard, a ball-dominant, score-first attacker.
But Irving also has been prone to injury, has had a difficult time getting on the same page with his backcourt mate Dion Waiters and has been criticized at times for a style of play that was perceived as selfish.