Former Duke star Kyrie Irving missed all of last season after tearing his ACL during the 2024-25 season, and now could be on the trade market before he gets the opportunity to play with Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
The Mavericks have undergone major changes during Irving's time with the franchise. After he and Luka Doncic led Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavericks made the controversial decision to trade Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. The Davis experiment didn't last long, with the Mavericks moving Davis to the Washington Wizards at the Trade Deadline.
Irving was on a team that was a legitimate NBA Championship contender, and will now return to one in full rebuild mode led by an exciting rookie. Will Irving be content with being part of Dallas' rebuild, or will he look to try and get somewhere that would offer him a chance to win a second NBA Championship?
The Mavericks will look to find that answer this summer. Irving has a player option on his contract after next season and could become an unrestricted free agent. Dallas won't let him walk for nothing, so if they can't agree on an extension that makes sense, you'd have to think he could be on the market. If he is, he'll certainly generate a ton of interest around the league.
ESPN insiders project a Kyrie Irving trade to the Detroit Pistons
ESPN offers up the following Irving trade:
Pistons Receive: Kyrie Irving
Mavericks Receive: Isaiah Stewart, Caris Levert, Ron Holland, No. 21 pick in 2026 draft
It was clear from the NBA playoffs, despite the Pistons finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, that Detroit has to find more offensive punch around star guard Cade Cunningham.
Enter Kyrie Irving.
Irving is used to playing around other ball-dominant players from LeBron James to Luka Doncic, so he would be an obvious fit next to Cunningham in the Motor City. He's a 40% three-point shooter, too, so he would benefit from the open looks generated from Cunningham's dribble drives.
The trade wouldn't cost the Pistons all that much, just three rotational players and the chance to draft Isaiah Evans at No. 21.
It's fair to question whether it's enough for Dallas. Isaiah Stewart is a quality backup big man, but unless the Mavericks make another move to trade Daniel Gafford, they don't really need another big. Caris LeVert is a solid player, but his inconsistent three-point shooting makes it difficult to keep him on the floor at times.
Holland is intriguing, and perhaps superfluous in Detroit with his similar style to Ausar Thompson.
ESPN included a quote form new Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri about Irving that makes this trade - and any potential Irving move - feel pretty unrealistic unless someone blows Dallas out of the water with an offer:
"Kevin Durant once told me, 'There is only one Kyrie walking around in the world,'" Ujiri said, via ESPN. "I think we have to figure out how Kyrie fits with our program. I have had those conversations with Kyrie. I think Kyrie will fit."
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