NBA teams are not convinced the Dallas Mavericks’ current stance on Kyrie Irving will remain unchanged once the 2026-27 season begins.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Dallas has consistently rejected trade interest in Irving throughout the offseason. Rival executives, however, continue to monitor the situation and are questioning whether the Mavericks will maintain that position as the February 11 trade deadline gets closer.
“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 that 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.”
That age difference is at the center of the speculation.
Irving is 34 and entering another stage of his career, while Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is only 19 and has already established himself as the centerpiece of Dallas’ future. Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists as a rookie and was unanimously selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team after winning Rookie of the Year.
The Mavericks are therefore attempting to balance two very different timelines. Flagg could be the foundation of the franchise for the next decade or longer, while Irving remains an accomplished veteran capable of helping Dallas win immediately when healthy.
Irving’s health adds another layer to the situation. He missed the entire 2025-26 season while continuing his recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery following the knee injury he suffered in March 2025.
If Dallas begins the season competitively, keeping Irving alongside Flagg could give the Mavericks the veteran shot creation and leadership needed to accelerate their rebuild. If the team struggles, however, the logic could change quickly. A 34-year-old All-Star guard would potentially have considerable value to contenders, while Dallas could theoretically convert him into younger players or future draft assets that better match Flagg’s timeline.
