The Dallas Mavericks continue to clean house. With Jason Kidd no longer in the building, Masai Ujiri will have to focus not only on the 2026 NBA Draft but also on finding the right guy to mentor and develop Cooper Flagg. But it's rumored from one NBA insider that the guy to mentor Flagg won't be Kyrie Irving.
Teams around the league will keep a close eye on the Mavericks and their other veterans, as it looks like the former No. 1 pick might be the only true untouchable in Dallas. But according to NBA insider Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson, the Minnesota Timberwolves could try to take Irving off their hands:
"While public indications suggest Irving genuinely loves Dallas, enjoys playing for the Mavericks, and wants to stay, Masai Ujiri’s arrival signals that no one is untouchable as the franchise considers a total rebuild around reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg," Robinson wrote. "Minnesota is watching closely. The Timberwolves are aggressively searching for an elite, veteran point guard to pair with franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards."
The Mavericks could get a major haul if Kyrie Irving goes to Minnesota
Robinson also reports that Edwards has been privately advocating for Irving to come to Minnesota and get over the playoff hump.
Of course, the Mavericks aren't a better team without Kyrie Irving. In fact, they may have been in the mix for a playoff berth if he hadn't been out with an ACL injury. That said, with the team going in a new direction, parting ways with a 34-year-old coming off a major injury might be the wisest call.
The Timberwolves desperately crave another scorer and facilitator, so Irving certainly fits that mold. That gives Ujiri the perfect window to sell high on the former NBA champion and acquire more picks for the Flagg era.
Making numbers work might be the tricky part. The Timberwolves would have to part ways with either Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle, neither of whom might be too appealing to Dallas. Of course, they can always re-route them somewhere else.
Mavs fans remember when Luka Doncic absolutely cooked Gobert in the Western Conference Finals two years ago. While every fan has that memory bookmarked for life, Gobert showed some elite defense in this year's playoffs.
Gobert and Terrence Shannon Jr., plus the Timberwolves' No. 28 pick and a 2027 first-round pick, might be a fair return for Irving. The Mavs can then decide whether to stick with the injury-prone but incredibly talented Dereck Lively II or move one of their big men for more draft picks.
The Timberwolves will try everything in their power to keep their lanky pest Jaden McDaniels, an elite two-way wing who isn't afraid to get heated with his opponents. He would be the perfect enforcer for the Mavs and the perfect security guard for Flagg.
They could also try to work out a sign-and-trade deal for Ayo Dosumnu, who also fits Flagg's timeline and could give them another scoring combo guard off the bench. Whatever the case, they have options.
One thing's for sure, though. Moving on from Irving would pretty much end all postseason aspirations, at least at first. It would be the first domino to fall this offseason, and the Mavs would take a different approach to building their roster. It might also signal the start of a veteran exodus, with P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Klay Thompson as likely odd men out.
That's not necessarily bad, and they should do what's best for Cooper Flagg and his development. Still, for a fan base that has regularly reached playoff contention this century with Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic at the helm, patience will be paramount.
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