Jason Kidd is no longer the head coach, Masai Ujiri is the new team president, and Mike Schmitz has taken the general manager seat. The Dallas Mavericks are literally revamping their entire system, and former NBA champion Kyrie Irving is heavily predicted to be part of this overhaul.
It all started after the Mavs traded Luka Doncic. Since then, their struggles began, and it continued this season as they finished with a 26-56 record. Following the disappointing season, the organization is now squarely in the business of building around 19-year-old Cooper Flagg, whose rookie campaign put the league on notice.
The Mavs community was excited that Irving, who is returning this season after missing the entire 2024–25 season with an ACL injury, would join Flagg. However, NBA insider Jake Fischer crushed that expectation, claiming that Irving likely will not be on Dallas's roster by opening night. He predicted that Dallas would make a blockbuster trade involving him instead.
Afterwards, many trade ideas are making rounds online, but a blockbuster proposal from Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz addresses the Mavericks' immediate needs. It sends Irving to the Miami Heat and brings back All-Star sharpshooter Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, and a 2026 second-round pick (No. 41).
"Dallas desperately needs help at guard and with their three-point attack," Swartz wrote. "The Mavs ranked 29th overall in made threes per game at 11.0 and were 26th in accuracy at 34.4 percent. Herro is a lifetime 38.2 percent shooter from deep on 2.7 makes per game. Klay Thompson was the only Maverick to best Herro last season at 2.9 per contest."
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the main roadblock to this trade idea. The Heat are the frontrunners to land Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst calling Miami the team to watch. Every realistic Heat package for Giannis positions Herro as the centerpiece, alongside Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and multiple first-round picks.
However, trading for Irving gives Miami an elite ball handler to pair with Bam Adebayo. If Dallas' front office really wants to move on from Irving rather than pairing him with Flagg, executing this swap serves as a logical blockbuster solution for both franchises.
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