Mavericks rumors: Kyrie Irving trade speculation lives after coach leaves Dallas to reunite with LeBron James on 76ers

Many are eager to see the tandem of Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg lead the charge for the Dallas Mavericks in the upcoming season. They have yet to play together, as Irving was sidelined with an ACL injury during Flagg’s rookie campaign.

Despite the incessant chatter about a possible trade, the Mavericks maintained that they are keen on keeping Irving.

Fans, however, have continued to theorize, and the recent exit of Phil Handy as assistant coach of the Mavericks will only give them more fuel. Handy has agreed to join the Philadelphia 76ers to reunite with LeBron James, whom he has won three titles with.

The Stein Line’s Marc Stein described Handy’s departure as a “lesser but also notable factor” in the trade speculation surrounding Irving.

“Once Irving began to flourish as a Maverick after arriving via the February 2023 trade deadline, his strong relationships with (Jason) Kidd and then-Mavericks assistant coach God Shammgod were frequently cited as key factors in a highly successful transition from Brooklyn,” wrote Stein on his Substack.

“When Shammgod left Dallas for Orlando after the 2024-25 season, Handy was hired to fill the vacancy and immediately began working closely with Irving.”

Irving and Handy won a ring together on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The nine-time All-Star has often credited Handy for helping his career and refining his all-around game.

The 55-year-old Handy, who also won a championship with the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers, was hired by the Mavericks in 2025 and was assigned to develop Flagg, Brandon Williams, and Ryan Nembhard, among others. His stint in Dallas, however, proved to be short.

“When August began, Handy and Josh Broghamer—who worked closer with Flagg than anyone on Kidd’s staff—were the lone holdovers from Kidd’s bench to be retained by new Mavericks coach Dusty May. Yet both also wound up departing the franchise this month. Broghamer (as I reported on August 7) was the first to exit to join Sean Sweeney’s maiden staff in Orlando,” noted Stein.

Irving has been linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Detroit Pistons, the Houston Rockets, and the Miami Heat.

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