The Dallas Mavericks boast a revamped front office and a fair amount of trade assets, and one circulating rumor has them making a drastic change.
The Dallas Mavericks spent the early part of the offseason overhauling their front office, adding Masai Ujiri as team president and Mike Schmitz as general manager. Both moves were applauded by fans, but the team is just getting started.
In an effort to build around Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks should be all-in on youth. Veterans like Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford are on the trade block, and Khris Middleton will likely not be re-signed to a new contract.
The one veteran who is largely seen as "safe," at least for now, is Kyrie Irving. The veteran point guard is yet to play with Flagg, but there is reason to believe that the Mavericks want to see him leading the offense before making a permanent decision.
As offseason rumors pick up, however, Irving might find himself included in more mock trades than originally expected.
Mavericks Encouraged to Shop Kyrie Irving
It seems to be all but a given that Thompson has played his last game in a Mavericks' uniform. The four-time champ, though the window in Golden State was closing, decided that pairing up with Luka Doncic was his best chance to add another ring to his hand.
Months later, Doncic would be traded to the Lakers, and Thompson is a veteran not suited to help with a from-scratch rebuild.
Irving is just as accomplished as Thompson, although his skillset is better-suited to pair with Flagg. That's why most fans and experts think Irving will be given a long runway to see just how he can gel with Flagg.
Apparently, that shouldn't be the assumption.
"The Mavericks are looking to clear the decks around Cooper Flagg, and if they can find a taker for Irving, they’re expected to move on," predicted Heavy's Sean Deveney, before pivoting to Thompson. "Thompson does not fit Dallas’s timeline, and if the Mavs can get anything–youth, a few second-rounders–for him, they will. He’s still a 38 percent 3-point shooter.
Teams like the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat are seemingly a point guard away from being back in contention, and Irving fits the bill. However, until the Mavericks cement who their point guard of the future is, don't expect them to be eager to part ways with Irving, who has said all of the right things about wanting to stay in Dallas.