New Kyrie Irving Trade Rumors as NBA Teams Eye Mavs Star After Jason Kidd Firing

The Dallas Mavericks are remaking their franchise around young star Cooper Flagg, which naturally leads to questions about how Kyrie Irving fits into that mix.

"Multiple contenders are keeping an eye on Irving right now," ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday's NBA Today (2:38 mark). "He's got a guaranteed year left on his deal and then he's got a player option, so that does give him some leverage on his future. He's 34 years old, he's a championship player in this league, but he's got a level of equity in Dallas. We know he's put a lot of equity into Flagg, his development this year. So [team president] Masai Ujiri has hinted, 'We want to see these two guys [together],' but what's the vision and how much can they show Irving that [they] want him to be a part of this?"

Earlier on Wednesday, Ujiri indicated that he would like to see Irving and Flagg on the court together.

"I've had those conversations with Kyrie, up until yesterday, and I think Kyrie will fit," he told reporters. "There's a huge curiosity in our minds to see how Kyrie fits playing with Flagg. He's just that kind of incredible talent and player. And I think we owe that to this organization."

Ujiri's hiring this offseason—and subsequent firing of head coach Jason Kidd—was the latest major change in a season full of them since the team's shocking decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in Feb. 2025 for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the L.A.'s 2029 first-round pick.

The fallout was immediate. Fan anger created such a toxic environment around the team that the general manager responsible for the Dončić trade, Nico Harrison, was fired in November. Three months later, Davis was dealt to the Washington Wizards in a deal that returned a hodge-podge of players and two first-round picks (OKC's 2026 selection and Golden States' top-20-protected pick in 2030).

Through a tumultuous year-and-change, the one positive was winning last year's draft lottery and selecting Flagg, who was the NBA's Rookie of the Year after averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

But Dallas' new franchise cornerstone never got to play with Irving, who spent the season sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL. The Mavericks have to weigh the benefits of keeping Irving—having another star on the roster takes some of the pressure on the young forward, and a veteran like Irving has plenty of insights that could benefit Flagg's development—against the solid assets they could likely acquire from trading him to a contender, which would help build out their talent for the future.

Both options are viable. The decision may come down to whether a team makes them an offer they simply can't refuse.