The Dallas Mavericks could give Kyrie Irving several months to return from his torn ACL before reassessing his trade value in January, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Dallas has rejected trade inquiries since mid-June, but rival teams continue to monitor whether that stance changes before the Feb. 11 deadline.
“Like a lot of veterans, the idea is to play him through January, build value and see if something can be done at the deadline,” Deveney reported.
The potential January evaluation would come as Dallas balances Irving’s role with the long-term development of 19-year-old Cooper Flagg. The 15-year age gap between the nine-time All-Star and the 2026 No. 1 overall pick is one reason opposing teams are watching closely for any change in the Mavericks’ position.
Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season after tearing his ACL. Without him, Dallas finished 26-56, tied for the NBA’s third-worst record, while Flagg immediately became the franchise’s centerpiece and averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games on his way to Rookie of the Year honors.
The Mavericks have since made several organizational changes around Flagg. Masai Ujiri was hired as team president in May, Mike Schmitz became general manager and Dusty May took over as head coach after leading Michigan to the 2026 NCAA championship.
Dallas also added younger pieces by selecting Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall and Sergio De Larrea 25th in June. The Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser during the offseason, while Klay Thompson was bought out as the franchise continued creating roster flexibility.
Irving’s return could nevertheless provide Dallas with an experienced offensive creator next to Flagg. Before his injury, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 50 games during the 2024-25 season while shooting 47.3% from the field, 40.1% from three-point range and 91.6% from the free-throw line.
His two-season production in Dallas was similarly strong. Irving averaged 25.2 points per game and shot 40.6% from three across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, including 25.6 points on 49.7% shooting in 2023-24.
