As a brutal start to the Mavericks’ season continues to bury them, trade rumors are already in full force in Dallas. Anthony Davis is one of the main names to watch after being acquired in the stunning Luka Doncic trade last season. While No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg has impressed at 18 years old, the Mavs just keep dropping games.
For now, don’t expect Kyrie Irving to be included in those trade rumors, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Irving, 33, has yet to play this season after suffering a torn ACL last March. It’s clear the Mavs need a point guard, though Irving’s return remains uncertain.
“Teams are actually sniffing around Kyrie Irving,” Charania said. “His availability on the court, potentially trade-wise and his playing status the rest of the season. But my understanding is the Mavericks have made it clear privately that they want Kyrie Irving as a complete part of their future moving forward.
“He’s still in recovery, in rehab from that ACL tear from March. He signed a three-year deal in the offseason. But the Mavericks value his leadership on the court, off the court and his fit with Cooper Flagg, potentially. … You just see right now much this team misses Kyrie Irving.”
Irving was traded from the Nets to the Mavericks back in February 2023. He helped lead the team to the 2024 NBA Finals, falling in five games to the Celtics. While it’s always a question mark when an older guard suffers an ACL tear, Irving put up All-Star numbers last season before the injury.
It’s no surprise to see teams still valuing Irving, who’s stayed out of negative headlines since landing in Dallas. The guard signed a three-year, $119 million extension this past summer, declining a $43 million option, so he’s locked down for multiple seasons.
It should be an interesting trade market for the league this season. There are plenty of tanking teams ahead of what’s considered to be a stacked 2026 NBA Draft. So the supply and demand could be different compared to past seasons. But with the league in its parity era, a contender could make a big swing ahead of the trade deadline.
