As Cooper Flagg ignites a new era in Dallas, the front office faces a franchise-altering dilemma: pair the rookie sensation with a veteran magician or harvest future assets.
DALLAS - The questions are simple. But the answers are complex.
Which makes the Dallas Mavericks better - playoff-worthy-better - faster: Keeping Kyrie Irving on the roster? Or moving along from the all-time-great 34-year-old coming off an injury in exchange for draft picks?
The Mavs are involved in a rebuild, and "quick'' would be be good. The franchise centerpiece is Cooper Flagg, the NBA Rookie of the Year following his selection last summer as the No. 1 overall pick in that draft.
What else do they have as value in the build?
There are some supplemental pieces with grand promise, like Daniel Gafford. There are some supplemental pieces who have faded, like Klay Thompson.
But mostly, in addition to Flagg, there is Kyrie Irving.
The Mavs have stated firmly that they'd like to see Flagg and Irving together on the floor - a "match made in heaven,'' as new GM Mike Schmitz phrased it.
"Beautiful," Schmitz said recently about his thoughts on the pairing. ... "That’s something you dream of. Having a magician with the ball like that who can pass, dribble, shoot, and someone with the connective qualities of Coop, that’s a match made in heaven.”
Added president Masai Ujiri: “Kevin Durant once told me, ‘There is only one Kyrie walking around in the world.' “I think we have to figure out how Kyrie fits with our program. I have had those conversations with Kyrie. I think Kyrie will fit.”
It's a lovely thought. And we're not saying it's wrong.
But that shouldn't stop the exploration of change. And of course, it's mock trade/mock draft season, so it won't stop the speculation.
For instance ...
Sports Illustrated has suggested a trade that would send Irving to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Zaccharie Risacher, Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 first-round pick.
Those bodies? Not the important part of the proposal.
Those picks? Now we're talking.
The 2026 pick will come from the Cleveland Cavaliers via the Hawks, at No. 23 overall. That's not a premium selection, so it's not especially alluring.
Ah, but that suggested 2027 pick? The proposal illustrates that it figures to be a lottery pick that summer.
And that's where this idea has its value.
After this season, with the Mavs picking at Nos. 9 and 30, Dallas won't have another first-rounder for the rest of the decade. So the draft cannot be the only path to the Mavs' build as they chase NBA West powerhouses San Antonio and OKC.
Trades have to be part of the strategy - including trades like this one.
If the Mavs keep Kyrie, they will be substantially better in 2026-27 than they were this year. But is "better'' good enough?
“Every decision we are going to make here is going to be future-based,” Ujiri said. “We have a 19-year-old generational player on our roster, and we have to think that way. We’re not going to make decisions based on winning today. I don’t think that would make sense for the organization.”
Hmmm.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show, "There are multiple contenders around the NBA that are very much monitoring what happens with Kyrie Irving in Dallas.''
Hmmm.
If the Mavs could engineer a trade like this, Dallas would likely continue to be a non-contender next season, but could hit the jackpot in the 2027 lottery.
These are the sort of scenarios the Mavs' new leadership is surely weighing. ... and more evaluation is needed before Dallas fully zeroes in on exactly what it's "heavenly match'' should be.
