The Dallas Mavericks finished with 26 wins last season and have several trade candidates to consider heading into the 2026-27 season. General manager Mike Schmitz has shown a willingness to shuffle the deck already, bringing back familiar face Dwight Powell despite a full roster that includes 34-year-old point guard Kyrie Irving.

According to ESPN's Tim McMahon, there is much talk around the NBA about how long Irving will last with the new Mavericks regime, which is seeking to build around 19-year-old prodigy Cooper Flagg.

“The question that's being asked around the league is, ‘For how long?' How long is this fit with Kyrie and the Mavericks? It's not because the Mavericks don't love Kyrie, they do. But they're building around a 19-year-old prodigy in Cooper Flagg so could there come a time when it makes sense for both sides to find a contender for Kyrie Irving to go to? These are the kind of things that people around the league will be monitoring leading up to the trade deadline.”

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Irving made a deft practice facility request that was honored recently, showing he still has sway within Schmitz's organization. New Mavericks head coach Dusty May is a big fan of classic point guards having coached undersized point guard Elliot Cadeau to a Most Outstanding Player award and national championship in 2025-26. It might not be enough to keep Irving around all season as the Mavericks continue their rebuild.

Will the Mavericks stick with Irving as Flagg's “co-star,” the way that McMahon put it? Or will they clear the way for Flagg to run the show by dealing Irving? There is still plenty of time before the season begins, and the NBA's Feb. 11, 2027 trade deadline. Irving has enough fuel left in the tank to be attractive to several NBA teams, now it's a question of whether or not Dallas is ready to move on.