Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
This year’s offseason has been a critical one for many teams. While some have made significant attempts to improve their rosters in hopes of competing for the title, others, like the Dallas Mavericks, have turned their attention toward rebuilding. While the Mavericks’ approach seems largely promising, their stance on retaining Kyrie Irving could be considered counterintuitive.
At 34, Kyrie Irving doesn’t necessarily give the impression of a player who would want to be part of a rebuilding franchise. While he remains an extremely capable player who is likely to thrive despite suffering a long-term injury, the Mavericks’ current roster after Klay Thompson’s buyout doesn’t inspire much confidence as a contender.
For the most part, the Dallas Mavericks have strongly expressed their desire to retain Irving. Still, according to a recent report by NBA Insider Marc Stein, teams around the league are likely to keep an eye on Irving in light of recent changes in Dallas. Stein wrote:
“The Mavericks, as we’ve been writing since mid-June, have consistently swatted away trade interest this offseason in nine-times-an-All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. Rival teams, however, continue to wonder aloud about how firmly Dallas will stick to that stance once the season begins and the next in-season trade deadline on Feb. 11 gradually approaches.”
“The primary factor fueling that curiosity, of course, is the fact that Irving is 34 and Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg is 19. Not your average age gap between the team’s two best players,” Stein added.
As the insider noted, the Dallas Mavericks’ rebuild has been structured around Cooper Flagg‘s timeline, who, at 19, is far younger than Irving. Hence, even though the Mavericks intend for Irving to mentor Flagg and help him live up to his superstar potential, the environment may not be conducive to either party.
Would The Mavericks Trade Kyrie Irving?
Although the superstar guard is coming off a major injury and will likely require time to find his groove, he has garnered considerable trade interest this summer. Still, Dallas has shown no inclination to engage in further discussions regarding this subject.
For the most part, the Mavericks seem committed to pairing Kyrie Irving with Cooper Flagg. Despite the massive age difference, Dallas’ optimism that Irving’s influence will serve as a catalyst for Flagg’s growth is promising. But this isn’t the only reason to retain the nine-time All-Star.
Irving was truly spectacular during the 2024-25 season. Although he was playing second fiddle to Luka Doncic for most of the campaign, after Doncic’s trade to the Lakers, Irving turned things up a notch.
In the 11 games leading up to his unfortunate ACL injury in March 2025, Irving went on a rampage, averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 45.2% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range. Although the Mavericks posted a 5-6 record during this stretch, Irving was individually phenomenal.
While it is unlikely that the superstar will perform at the same level right off the bat, his progress in training has been noteworthy. Given that Mavericks head coach Dusty May was particularly impressed with Kyrie Irving’s workouts, there is some optimism that the 34-year-old will provide the necessary scoring boost the team needs in the upcoming season.
Still, the overall outlook for Dallas isn’t the most promising. Although they have a solid blend of young talent and veteran skill, ESPN projected the Mavs to end the 2026-27 season in 12th place with a 32-50 record. While this paints a rather underwhelming picture for Dallas entering the new campaign, it could also be why rival teams continue to monitor Irving’s situation.
At this juncture, Kyrie Irving remains unavailable in trade discussions. However, if Dallas’ experiment with Flagg and Irving doesn’t pan out by the February trade deadline, the team’s stance could change.
With Irving also eyeing another chance at contending, it would be reasonable for the nine-time All-Star himself to demand a trade. With the 34-year-old also entering the final year of his contract, the Mavericks may also be inclined to leverage it to maximize their returns.