Mavericks Plan to Build Kyrie Irving's Trade Value Before Deadline, per Report
Kyrie Irving, one of the last remaining players from the old Dallas Mavericks roster, could be on the move before the trade deadline, according to a report from Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports on Tuesday.
The Mavericks would like to play their veteran point guard through January and let him build his trade value, Deveney reported. Dallas would then look to trade Irving at the deadline if a deal could be worked out.
Irving, a nine-time All-Star, missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL. During his absence, the Mavericks pivoted into a full rebuild by trading Anthony Davis, hiring Masai Ujiri, firing coach Jason Kidd, and replacing Kidd with Dusty May. The team is now built around 19-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg.
At 34 years old and entering his 15th NBA season, Irving was a 25-points-per-game scorer for Dallas before his injury. He is under contract for $39.5 million next season, with a $42.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season. That contract, combined with his age and recent injury, could limit his trade value.
A Western Conference executive told Deveney that Irving's trade value may only be one first-round pick.
"If he comes back and he is scoring 24, 25 points (per game), then you will have teams willing to give up a first-round pick for him. Maybe more, maybe a young player, too. But with his injury history, I don’t think you give up more than one first," the executive said.
The Mavericks have remained committed to Irving all offseason, rebuffing some notable trade overtures from other teams. Dallas also values one underrated part of Irving's continued presence on the team. However, that stance may shift once Irving can rebuild his trade value.
Trade talks involving Irving are not expected to begin until the first month or two of the season, as the Mavericks want to evaluate their roster. If they stumble out of the gate due to a tough schedule, those discussions could heat up around Christmas, according to the report.
Dallas faces a challenging asset situation, as they will not control their first-round pick again until 2031. With first-round picks becoming harder to acquire under new lottery rules, the Mavericks need to hold out for every pick possible.
Given Irving's projected value of a single first-round pick from a good team and salary filler, it may not make sense for Dallas to move him at this point, the report suggested.