KYRIE IRVING HADN'T played a game for the Dallas Mavericks in more than 18 months when he organized an informal minicamp for the team in Southern California in early September, including new head coach Dusty May and his staff.
Irving hosted basketball workouts along with beach yoga, but his priority for the trip was continuing to build camaraderie with his younger teammates, including 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who Irving calls 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 served as a leader and valued voice in the Mavs' locker room since he arrived in Dallas via trade in February 2023. Despite having played just 130 games in a Mavs uniform, he is now the team's longest-serving player after Dwight Powell's 12-year tenure ended when the veteran center was waived this preseason.
Irving's time in Dallas has "been a little bit chaotic at times," as he puts it, but he has been a calm, steadying presence throughout the franchise's roller-coaster ride of the past few years.
He was the vocal leader and co-star of the Mavs' 2024 Finals team alongside Luka Doncic, and he was as shocked as anyone when former Dallas general manager Nico Harrison traded the perennial MVP candidate before the next trade deadline. Irving stood out as a voice of reason and empathy during the franchise's extended public relations catastrophe in the midst of fan outrage following the trade, further endearing himself to the Mavs' fanbase.
He has remained enthusiastic about being in Dallas as the organization completely overhauled the front office, coaching staff and much of the roster. That includes moving on from all the major figures involved in the Doncic deal -- Harrison was fired last November -- and big man Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return who suited up for only 29 games (plus two play-in appearances) in a Mavs uniform.
Now Irving, 34, who was once brought in to be Doncic's co-star, finds himself as the veteran presence on a franchise building around Flagg -- and facing questions about when he, like Doncic and Davis before him, might end up on the road out of town. The speculation is fueled primarily by the 15-year age gap between Irving and Flagg, and the franchise's mission of building a sustainable contender around its teenage prodigy.
For now, the Mavericks' goal is a simple one: Establish a winning culture with Flagg, and get back into the playoffs for the first time since that 2024 Finals appearance.
"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."
AFTER BEING HIRED in May, Mavericks president Masai Ujiri emphasized that he had a "huge curiosity" about the potential of the Flagg and Irving pairing, which was on hold last season as Irving recovered from a torn left ACL he suffered in March 2025. Ujiri has seen firsthand how the connection between a point guard and a wing can lead to success, having won the NBA title in 2019 with a Toronto Raptors team led by Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard.
From a pure basketball perspective, Irving and Flagg are a phenomenal fit. Irving is an elite off-dribble creator who is also comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat playing off the ball. And he has a wealth of experience playing alongside other stars, from LeBron James to Kevin Durant to 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 frequently worked with Irving, a fellow first overall pick out of Duke, after practices during his rookie campaign while Irving was rehabbing. They would take turns playing one-on-one against assistant coaches, who rotated in on defense. Irving would display a move out of his deep bag of tricks, then Flagg would try to replicate it.
Their rapport took the next step this summer, when Flagg finally got to play alongside Irving in pickup runs, whetting the appetite for real game action.
Flagg averaged 21.0 points and 4.5 assists per game as a rookie despite poor spacing and playing out of position as a point guard to open the season. His production and efficiency dramatically improved when he played alongside a traditional point guard.
The point guards Flagg played with last season were D'Angelo Russell (now playing for the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanghai Sharks) and Ryan Nembhard (now on a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets). Irving, on the other hand, is often referred to by his peers as the most skilled guard to ever play the game.
That level of respect remains intact for Irving, as evidenced by the Rockets' defensive game plan in the season opener. Houston coach Ime Udoka, who witnessed Irving's brilliance in summer pickup games and a preseason matchup in Macao, China, made trapping Irving the top priority.
"Kyrie's been out 600 days, and our game plan was all him," Durant said after the Rockets handed the Mavs a 128-110 loss despite Flagg's 32 points. "Kyrie is that dangerous."
There have been glimpses already this season of how dangerous Dallas' stars can be as a duo, even as Irving is on a minutes restriction out of precaution after coming back from 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 left late in the second quarter of Friday night's win over the Indiana Pacers after suffering a mild left shoulder sprain when he was flagrantly fouled on a breakaway, but that first half was breathtaking for the Mavs. Irving and Flagg combined for 27 points and eight assists as Dallas jumped out to a 35-point lead.
Flagg returned to the court Monday, and he and Irving combined for 47 points and 17 assists in a road win over the Miami Heat. It was an all-around dominant performance by Flagg (29 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and three blocks), as he scored a dozen points in the fourth quarter and made the game's most important defensive stop by swooping out to block Andrew Wiggins' potential go-ahead corner 3 in the final minute.
Irving shies away from comparing Flagg to the future Hall of Famers he has played alongside, careful not to make any viral comments that could be taken out of context. But he is clearly impressed by his teenage teammate and forecasts greatness for Flagg.
"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."
AS IRVING HEADED to Houston's Toyota Center court, minutes away from playing in his first regular-season game in almost 20 months, he stopped when he saw Ujiri in the hallway. The duo embraced and exchanged words of gratitude and appreciation.
The two men have worked together for only months, but they've known and respected each other for years.
This snapshot illustrated the connection and alignment 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."
On the other hand, trading Irving could allow Dallas to replenish its depleted draft assets, as the franchise doesn't control its own first-round pick for the next four years due to deals made by Harrison, including the move that brought Irving to Dallas. The anticipation by leaguewide sources is that there would be a robust market for Irving, an eight-time All-Star with a long track 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."
The Mavs acquired Irving when his value was distressed after controversy marred his 2½-season stint with the Brooklyn Nets, who fulfilled Irving's request to be traded. It marked the third time in less than five years that he chose to leave a franchise. He asked to be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, following three consecutive NBA Finals appearances, including the 2016 championship. He left the Boston Celtics in free agency after two seasons, the second of which was clouded by constant discussion of his likely looming departure. Then the superteam built in Brooklyn alongside Durant and James Harden fell apart.
But despite seeing 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, giving him control over his uncertain future. That option also opens up the possibility of Ujiri opting to push any trade discussions into next summer, when the front office could theoretically work with Irving on sign-and-trade or extend-and-trade scenarios.
Or perhaps Irving could remain in Dallas as Flagg's running mate for years to come as his twilight approaches. Irving, whose agent is his stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, offers an honest, if not straightforward, answer when asked whether he hopes to finish his career in Dallas.
"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."