He’s here to stay: 3 reasons why the Mavericks won’t trade Kyrie Irving

Arguably the most exciting part of the upcoming season will be watching the Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving duo materialize. Coming into the league as an 18-year-old rookie with expectations similar to names like Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson, and LeBron James, Cooper Flagg had a lot to carry on his shoulders last season. Despite the heavy load, Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, on 46.8% shooting. Among rookies, Flagg had the highest usage rate at 26.9% and played more minutes than any rookie, averaging 33.5 per game — 2,344 total for the season.

Having another on-ball threat will make a huge difference for the Mavericks. The majority of the 2025-2026 season was spent experimenting with guards like D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Williams, and Ryan Nembhard, all of whom have found different teams this summer. Adding in a bona fide star like Irving, even as he comes off an ACL injury, will take some pressure off Flagg. Before the ACL injury, Irving was having one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 47.3% shooting. Even Irving at 70% will have a huge impact. Coming into his second season next to Irving, Flagg will be able to move more without the ball, enjoy better floor spacing, and play to his strengths. Teams won't be able to double-team and swarm the 19-year-old as easily if Irving is on the floor too. This duo will be an exciting watch.

Currently, Dallas has 19 players listed on its roster, which will be reduced to 15 by opening night. Of those 19, only six are guards — Irving, Max Christie, Marcus Sasser, Jett Howard, John Poulakidas, and Vsevolod Ishchenko. There's a significant drop-off after Kyrie Irving in both shooting and playmaking. The Mavericks need Irving if they want to make any noise in the Western Conference. For the first time since the pre-dynasty Golden State Warriors, the West took a step back this summer. With no incentive to lose, since the Mavericks do not own their first-round picks until 2031, Dallas is looking for a major bounce-back year.