Kyrie Irving, 34, has become the veteran anchor of a Dallas Mavericks team built around 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, even as questions swirl about how long he will stay in Dallas. Irving hadn’t played a game for the Mavs in more than 18 months when he organized an informal minicamp in Southern California in early September, which included new head coach Dusty May and his staff.
Irving hosted basketball workouts and beach yoga, but his main goal on the trip was to keep building camaraderie with his younger teammates. He calls Flagg his “19-year-old co-pilot.”
“When you’ve done what he’s done,” May said, “the younger guys especially hang on every word.”
Irving has been a leader and a valued voice in the Mavericks’ locker room since Dallas acquired him in a trade in February 2023. He has appeared in just 130 games for the Mavs, yet he is now the franchise’s longest-serving player. Dwight Powell’s 12-year tenure ended this preseason when the veteran center was waived.
Irving says his time in Dallas has “been a little bit chaotic at times.” Still, he has been a calm, steadying presence through the franchise’s rollercoaster run of the past few years.
A Steadying Presence Through Turmoil
Irving was the vocal leader and co-star of the 2024 Finals team alongside Luka Doncic. He was as shocked as anyone when former general manager Nico Harrison traded the perennial MVP candidate before the next trade deadline. During the franchise’s extended public relations crisis, which included fan outrage after the trade, Irving stood out as a voice of reason and empathy. That endeared him further to the Mavs’ fanbase.
Dallas has since overhauled its front office, coaching staff and much of its roster, and Irving remains enthusiastic about being in Dallas. The changes include moving on from every major figure involved in the Doncic deal. Harrison was fired last November. The team also parted ways with Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return, who played only 29 games in a Mavs uniform, plus two play-in appearances.
That leaves Irving as the veteran presence on a franchise building around Flagg. He also faces questions about when he might end up on the road out of town, just as Doncic and Davis did before him. Much of the speculation centers on the 15-year age gap between Irving and Flagg, as well as the franchise’s mission to build a sustainable contender around its teenage prodigy.
For now, the Mavericks have a simple goal: establish a winning culture with Flagg and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2024 Finals.
“We’re building something. And I’m not sure exactly what that looks like,” Irving said. “I’m just going to turn the page. I’m looking forward to building something new.”
A Promising Backcourt Pairing
After Mavericks president Masai Ujiri was hired in May, he said he had a “huge curiosity” about what Flagg and Irving could become together. That pairing was on hold last season while Irving recovered from a torn left ACL he suffered in March 2025. Ujiri has seen firsthand how a connection between a point guard and a wing can lead to success. He won the 2019 NBA title with a Toronto Raptors team led by Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard.
From a pure basketball standpoint, Irving and Flagg fit together well. Irving is an elite off-the-dribble creator who is also comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat off the ball. He has played alongside other stars throughout his career, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Doncic.
“He just makes it easy to play with him,” Flagg said. “Obviously, he’s one of the greats of our game. He’s an incredible talent, but I think that combined with his personality makes it easy to fit next to and play with him.”
Flagg worked with Irving often after practices during his rookie season while Irving was rehabbing. The two, both first overall picks out of Duke, took turns playing one-on-one against assistant coaches who rotated in on defense. Irving would display a move from his deep bag of tricks, and Flagg would try to replicate it.
This summer, their rapport reached the next level when Flagg finally got to play alongside Irving in pickup runs, which only whetted the appetite for real game action.
Flagg averaged 21.0 points and 4.5 assists per game as a rookie. He played out of position as a point guard to open the season, despite poor spacing. His production and efficiency improved dramatically when he played alongside a traditional point guard. The point guards he played with last season were D’Angelo Russell, who now plays for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, and Ryan Nembhard, who is on a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets. Irving, by contrast, is often described by his peers as the most skilled guard to ever play the game.
That respect remains intact. The Houston Rockets’ defensive game plan in the season opener showed it. Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who had seen Irving’s brilliance in summer pickup games and a preseason matchup in Macao, made trapping Irving the top priority.
“Kyrie’s been out 600 days, and our game plan was all him,” Durant said after the Rockets beat Dallas 128-110, even though Flagg scored 32 points. “Kyrie is that dangerous.”
Glimpses of how dangerous the duo can be have already appeared this season, even though Irving is on a minutes restriction as a precaution after his lengthy absence.
“We’re excited because they’re both such versatile players,” May said. “They shoot it, they drive it, they share it. It’s going to be a fun puzzle.”
Flagg and Irving Take Over
Flagg left late in the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Indiana Pacers after suffering a mild left shoulder sprain on a flagrant foul on a breakaway. Even so, the first half was breathtaking for Dallas. Irving and Flagg combined for 27 points and eight assists as the Mavs built a 35-point lead.
Flagg returned Monday. He and Irving combined for 47 points and 17 assists in a road win over the Miami Heat. Flagg was dominant, finishing with 29 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and three blocks. He scored a dozen points in the fourth quarter and made the game’s biggest defensive play, swooping out to block Andrew Wiggins‘ potential go-ahead corner 3 in the final minute.
Irving avoids comparing Flagg to the future Hall of Famers he has played alongside, careful not to make comments that could go viral out of context. Still, he is clearly impressed by his teammate and predicts greatness for him.
“I would say this: I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age to be able to lead a team, to be able to be on a great team and be a complementary piece but also lead the team in statistical categories,” Irving said. “I love that he’s a two-way player. I love that he cares about using his voice as he’s grown into Year 2. He’s coming off Rookie of the Year, so there’s a lot of pressure on him. I feel like I’m here to alleviate some of that pressure he feels.”
A Front Office Aligned Around Irving
Before Irving’s first regular-season game in almost 20 months, he stopped in a hallway at Houston’s Toyota Center when he saw Ujiri. The two men embraced and exchanged words of gratitude and appreciation.
They have worked together only for months, but they have known and respected each other for years. The moment captured the connection between Irving and a new Mavericks regime whose mission is to build a contender around Flagg.
“We truly believe in [Irving],” Ujiri said. “We truly believe that he can succeed on our team. I truly believe that if we have the right players playing, we can really grow as a team in a new system with Dusty and a new culture we’re trying to build. I truly believe that.”
Trading Irving could also help Dallas replenish its depleted draft assets. The franchise does not control its own first-round pick for the next four years because of deals Harrison made, including the trade that brought Irving to Dallas. League sources expect a robust market for Irving, an eight-time All-Star with a long record of playoff production.
“This is all transparent here,” Irving said. “There’s nothing that’s off the table, nothing’s hidden behind the scenes. We’re not trying to sell stories to the media or anything. Any time you guys ask me, I’m going to tell you where we are and how I feel, but also keep in mind that we do have a young team. They’re very impressionable. I’m not trying to bring any B.S. into the locker room, my name in the trade rumor mill or other guys in the trade rumor mill as well.”
“There’s too much of that in this league. There’s way too much of that, and it affects people’s mental health. It affects people’s day-to-day jobs. In order to get the best team possible that you want to see out there, we need everybody rowing in the same direction.”
Irving’s Path and His Future in Dallas
Dallas acquired Irving when his value was distressed after controversy marred his 2½-season stint with the Brooklyn Nets, who granted his request to be traded. It was the third time in less than five years that Irving chose to leave a franchise. He asked to be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, after three consecutive NBA Finals appearances that included the 2016 championship. He left the Boston Celtics in free agency after two seasons, the second of which was clouded by constant talk of his likely departure. The superteam he built in Brooklyn with Durant and James Harden then fell apart.
Despite watching Doncic get shipped out of town and missing the playoffs the past two seasons, Irving has expressed no interest in leaving Dallas.
“I’m in love with this place just because of how welcoming it was, not just from a franchise aspect but also the fans,” he said. “A lot of support around the city.”
Irving’s contract includes a $42.4 million player option for next season, which gives him control over his uncertain future. That option also gives Ujiri the chance to push trade discussions into next summer. At that point, the front office could theoretically work with Irving on sign-and-trade or extend-and-trade scenarios.
Irving could also stay in Dallas as Flagg’s running mate for years to come as his career winds down. His agent is his stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving. Asked whether he hopes to finish his career in Dallas, Irving gave an honest, if not straightforward, answer.
“I wish it was under my control, but I think it’s a collaborative effort here,” Irving said. “I’m mature enough to understand that. … You see that there’s a disparity in age between Flagg and me. Everybody likes to make a big deal out of it. … Every fair criticism that has been brought to this franchise is fair. I’m never going to shy away from that, either.”
“But my focus is just continuing to develop, continuing to put my best foot forward with these guys. When we’re out there on the court, just have fun. When we say have fun, we’re trying to compete at the highest level. We’re trying to win.”