Kyrie Irving is building a partnership with rookie phenom Cooper Flagg in Dallas, even as questions swirl about how long the veteran guard will stay with the Mavericks. Irving, who hadn’t played for Dallas in more than 18 months, organized an informal minicamp in Southern California in early September that included new head coach Dusty May and his staff.
Irving hosted basketball workouts along with beach yoga, but his main goal for the trip was to deepen his bond 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.”
A steadying veteran presence
Irving has been a leader and a valued voice in the Mavs’ locker room since he arrived in Dallas via trade in February 2023. Despite playing just 130 games in a Mavs uniform, he is now the franchise’s longest-serving player, after Dwight Powell’s 12-year tenure ended when the veteran center was waived this preseason.
Irving’s time in Dallas has been “a little bit chaotic at times,” as he puts it, but he has remained a calm, steadying presence through the team’s roller-coaster ride of the past few years. He was the vocal leader and co-star of the Mavs’ 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. During the franchise’s extended public relations crisis amid fan outrage over the deal, Irving stood out as a voice of reason and empathy, which further endeared him to the fanbase.
The organization has since overhauled the front office, the coaching staff and much of the roster. That includes moving on from all the major figures involved in the Doncic deal, as Harrison was fired last November, and from big man Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return, who suited up for only 29 games (plus two play-in appearances) for Dallas. Irving, who has remained enthusiastic about playing in Dallas, now finds himself as the veteran on a franchise building around Flagg. He also faces questions about when he might leave town, as Doncic and Davis did before him. Much of that speculation stems from the 15-year age gap between Irving, 34, and Flagg, and from the franchise’s goal of building a sustainable contender around its teenage prodigy.
For now, the Mavericks’ goal is straightforward: establish a winning culture around Flagg and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2024 Finals appearance.
“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.”
Why the pairing makes sense on the court
After being hired in May, Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said he had a “huge curiosity” about what Flagg and Irving could become 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 lead to success, having won the 2019 NBA title with a Toronto Raptors team led by Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard.
From a pure basketball standpoint, Irving and Flagg are a phenomenal fit. Irving is an elite off-dribble creator who is also comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat away from the ball. He has also played alongside other 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 worked frequently 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 defense. Irving would show a move from his deep bag of tricks, and Flagg would try to replicate it. That rapport advanced this summer, when Flagg finally played alongside Irving in pickup runs.
Flagg averaged 21.0 points and 4.5 assists per game as a rookie, despite poor spacing and playing out of position at point guard to open the season. His production and efficiency improved dramatically when he played alongside 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 cited by his peers as the most skilled guard to ever play the game.
That respect remains intact. Houston coach Ime Udoka, who had seen Irving’s brilliance in summer pickup games and a preseason matchup in Macao, made trapping Irving the top priority in the season opener. “Kyrie’s been out 600 days, and our game plan was all him,” Durant said after the Rockets beat the Mavs 128-110 despite Flagg’s 32 points. “Kyrie is that dangerous.”
Glimpses of what the duo can do have already appeared this season, even though Irving is on a minutes restriction as a precaution after his lengthy absence. “We’re excited because they’re both such versatile players,” May said. “They shoot it, they drive it, they share it. It’s going to be a fun puzzle.”
Flagg left late in the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Indiana Pacers after suffering a mild left shoulder sprain on a flagrant foul on a breakaway. Before that, Irving and Flagg combined for 27 points and eight assists as Dallas jumped out to a 35-point lead. Flagg returned Monday, and he and Irving combined for 47 points and 17 assists in a road win over the Miami Heat. Flagg delivered an all-around performance 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 3 in the final minute.
Irving avoids comparing Flagg to the future Hall of Famers he has played alongside. Still, he is clearly impressed by his teammate and predicts great things 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.”
Dallas’s front office backs its veteran
Before Irving’s first regular-season game in almost 20 months, at Houston’s Toyota Center, he stopped in the hallway when he saw Ujiri. The two 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 illustrated 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 also 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 Harrison made, including the trade that brought Irving to Dallas. Leaguewide sources anticipate 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 [rumor] mill or other guys in the trade [rumor] 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.”
Irving’s future in Dallas
Dallas acquired Irving when his value was distressed, after controversy 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 to be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers 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 seeing Doncic traded and the Mavs 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 possibility that Ujiri could 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.
Irving could also remain in Dallas as Flagg’s running mate for years as his career winds down. Asked whether he hopes to finish his career with the Mavs, he gave an honest, if not straightforward, answer. Irving’s agent is his stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving.
“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.”