Kyrie Irving organised an informal minicamp for the Dallas Mavericks in Southern California in early September, even though he had not played a game for the team in more than 18 months. The camp included new head coach Dusty May and his staff. Irving hosted basketball workouts and beach yoga, but his main goal was to build camaraderie with his younger teammates, including 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, whom 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 been a leader and a valued voice in the Mavericks’ locker room since he arrived in Dallas via trade in February 2023. He has played just 130 games in a Mavericks uniform, yet he is now the longest-serving player on the roster, after Dwight Powell ended a 12-year tenure when the veteran centre was waived this preseason.
Irving describes his time in Dallas as having “been a little bit chaotic at times.” Even so, he has been a calm and steadying presence through the franchise’s roller-coaster ride of recent years. He was the vocal leader and co-star of the Mavericks’ 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. Irving then acted as a voice of reason and empathy during the franchise’s extended public relations crisis, which followed fan outrage over the trade, and he further endeared himself to the fanbase.
Irving has stayed enthusiastic about playing in Dallas as the organisation overhauled its front office, coaching staff and much of the roster. That includes moving on from every major figure involved in the Doncic deal. Harrison was fired last November. The franchise also parted ways with Anthony Davis, the centrepiece of the return, who played only 29 games in a Mavericks uniform, plus two play-in appearances.
Now 34, Irving, who was once brought in to be Doncic’s co-star, finds himself as the veteran presence on a franchise building around Flagg. He also faces questions about when he might leave town, as Doncic and Davis did before him. Speculation is driven mainly by the 15-year age gap between Irving and Flagg, and by the franchise’s aim of building 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 pairing with real promise
After being hired in May, Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said he had a “huge curiosity” about what Flagg and Irving could achieve 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 produce success, having won the 2019 NBA title 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-the-dribble creator who is also comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat away from the ball. He has also played alongside a long list of stars, 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 often worked with Irving, a fellow first overall pick out of Duke, after practices during his rookie season while Irving was rehabbing. They took turns playing one-on-one against assistant coaches, who rotated in on defence. Irving would show a move from his deep bag of tricks, and Flagg would try to replicate it.
Their rapport took the next step this summer, when Flagg finally played 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, despite poor spacing and playing out of position as a point guard to open the season. His production and efficiency improved markedly when he shared the floor with a traditional point guard. The point guards he played with last season were D’Angelo Russell, now with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, and Ryan Nembhard, now on a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets. Irving, by contrast, is often described by his peers as the most skilled guard to have ever played the game.
That respect remains intact. The Houston Rockets’ defensive game plan in the season opener showed it. Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who had watched Irving’s brilliance in summer pickup games and a preseason matchup in Macao, made trapping Irving his top priority.
“Kyrie’s been out 600 days, and our game plan was all him,” Durant said after the Rockets beat the Mavericks 128-110, despite Flagg’s 32 points. “Kyrie is that dangerous.”
There have already been glimpses this season of how dangerous Dallas’ stars can be as a duo, even though Irving is on a minutes restriction as a precaution after his lengthy absence. Flagg left late in the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Indiana Pacers with a mild left shoulder sprain, suffered when he was flagrantly fouled on a breakaway. Even so, the first half was breathtaking for the Mavericks. Irving and Flagg combined for 27 points and eight assists as Dallas opened a 35-point lead.
Flagg returned on Monday, and 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 most important defensive play, swooping out to block Andrew Wiggins‘ potential go-ahead corner three 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. He is clearly impressed by his teenage teammate, though, and he 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.”
Trust in the new regime
As Irving headed to the court at Houston’s Toyota Center, minutes away from his first regular-season game in almost 20 months, he stopped when he saw Ujiri in the hallway. The two men embraced and exchanged words of gratitude and appreciation. They have worked together for only 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, however, 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 made under Harrison, including the trade that brought Irving to Dallas. Leaguewide sources expect 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 [rumour] mill or other guys in the trade [rumour] 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.”
Dallas acquired Irving when his value was distressed, after controversy had 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 he chose to leave a franchise. He asked the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade him 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 talk of his likely departure. The superteam built in Brooklyn alongside 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 opens the door for Ujiri 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.
Alternatively, Irving could remain in Dallas as Flagg’s running mate for years to come as his twilight approaches. Irving’s agent is his stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving. Asked whether he hopes to finish his career in Dallas, he gives 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.”