The Dallas Mavericks have consistently rejected trade interest in Kyrie Irving, but rival teams remain interested in whether that position could change as the 2026-27 season progresses toward the Feb. 11 trade deadline.
Marc Stein reported Monday that Dallas has swatted away inquiries since mid-June, while opposing teams continue to monitor Irving’s situation because of the 15-year age gap between the 34-year-old guard and 19-year-old franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg.
Irving did not play during the 2025-26 season after suffering a torn ACL, leaving Dallas without its nine-time All-Star guard during a 26-56 campaign that tied for the NBA’s third-worst record. Flagg nevertheless emerged immediately, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games while winning Rookie of the Year.
The Mavericks have since reshaped their organization 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 talent through the draft and offseason transactions, selecting Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall and Sergio De Larrea 25th in June. The Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser, while Klay Thompson was bought out as the front office continued to create roster flexibility.
That organizational direction helps explain why other teams are watching Irving’s situation. The question is not whether Dallas has entertained offers so far — Stein reported that it has not — but whether the franchise’s timeline could look different once Flagg enters his second NBA season and Irving returns from a major injury.
Before missing all of 2025-26, Irving remained one of the league’s most productive scoring guards. He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 50 games in 2024-25, shooting 47.3% from the field, 40.1% from three-point range and 91.6% at the foul line.
His longer Dallas sample was similarly productive. Across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, Irving averaged 25.2 points per game and shot 40.6% from beyond the arc, while his 2023-24 campaign included a 25.6-point average on 49.7% shooting.
For Dallas, retaining Irving would give Flagg an accomplished ball-handler and scorer alongside him as the franchise attempts to move quickly from a 26-56 season back into postseason contention. Trading him, meanwhile, could potentially accelerate the Mavericks’ shift toward a roster more closely aligned with their 19-year-old star’s timeline.
