A Kyrie Irving retirement might not be coming soon, but it doesn’t look like he has aspirations for LeBron James’ longevity. He made that much clear during a Dallas Mavericks post-practice media availability on Monday (Oct. 19)
Speaking to reporters, Irving explained how things like sports gambling and social media have affected his relationship with the game of basketball.
“But in terms of the NBA schedule and things of that nature, I think you’ve got to really be in love with that too,” Irving said. “The weightlifting, the unseen hours, kind of the media prep, just going in and just being ready to play at a high level. And then also you have social media and gambling right now, which is just like running rampant. And it’s not the same NBA that I fell in love with as a kid.”
Kyrie Irving Retirement Comments Highlight His Love of Basketball
While Irving didn’t make a retirement announcement, he did indicate that he doesn’t envision himself playing into his early 40s.
“So basketball is an eternal flame. It’ll always go, but I just don’t see myself playing in the NBA at 42, 43,” Irving added. “Shout out to the head honcho over there, still going, longevity. And even Steph, [LeBron] James, [KD]. Like, I looked at those guys like big brothers for a while. But now that I’m in this age of 34, 35, like, I love my manhood and growing as a man more importantly than just growing as a basketball player.”
Why Kyrie Could Be a Major Trade Target This Season
Speaking of aging: Irving is more than 15 years older than his current Mavericks co-star, Cooper Flagg. That age gap has helped fuel speculation about whether the Mavs will attempt to trade him before the deadline.
While Mavs president Masai Ujiri and head coach Dusty May have both praised Irving’s ability, his contract includes a player option for the 2027–28 season. If he declines that option, he could become a free agent next summer, meaning the Mavs run the risk of losing him for nothing. Now that he appears fully recovered from the ACL tear he suffered in March 2025, industry figures believe Irving would be a very attractive trade target for teams looking to compete for championships now.
One such figure is NBA insider Jake Fischer, who says that the age gap makes an Irving trade likely.
“I still believe that Kyrie Irving is someone that we’re going to be talking about through the February 11th trade deadline as a trade target for rival teams,” Fischer said on Bleacher Report. “He does not fit the timeline. He is almost a decade and a half older than Cooper Flagg. He’s also going into the end of a very lucrative contract, and he’s going to want to get paid.”
In the season he tore his ACL, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 59.4 percent true shooting. He turned the ball over just 2.2 times per game. In the past, his ability to score at three levels and play on or off the ball while keeping turnovers low has made him an extremely portable player, with his stints with LeBron and Luka Dončić being proof of concept. If those abilities are still intact, the trade rumors will be, too.
Peter A. Berry Peter A. Berry is a journalist with over a decade of experience writing and editing for various national publications and marketing companies. His work has appeared in XXL, Stereogum, COMPLEX, Rolling Stone, Variety, Pitchfork and many other places. Check him out at Heavy for the latest NBA updates. More about Peter A. Berry