Nine-time All-Star Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving could be dealt to a rival Western Conference squad, per a new trade rumor.
The 33-year-old has been on the shelf throughout Dallas’ bumpy 9-16 season start, recovering from a left ACL tear incurred last March. The 6-foot-2 superstar point guard averaged 24.7 points on .473/.401/.916 shooting splits, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks in his 50 healthy games for Dallas last season.
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Over the summer, Irving declined his $43 million player option for 2025-26 to ink a new three-season, $118.5 million free agent deal with Dallas. He has a $42.4 million player option in 2027-28. The Mavericks, then led by general manager Nico Harrison, may have had confidence in Irving’s long-term fit with their franchise.
Now, with the team clearly oriented around 18-year-old rookie forward Cooper Flagg and Harrison fired, it’s unclear if Irving makes sense as the club’s point guard of the future.
It’s understandable, then, that 10-time All-Star Mavericks power forward/center Anthony Davis and Irving have now found themselves in trade rumors.
One key West club has emerged as an obvious trade fit for Irving — provided he’s healthy with plenty of runway this season.
According to a new report from longtime NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, an NBA source believes that Irving could help the Minnesota Timberwolves elevate to a new level next year. The source suggested that “Irving in Minnesota makes the Timberwolves a contender” and notes that All-NBA Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards has been rooting for an Irving deal.
“Ant has a mutual respect for Kyrie and for what he’s done in this league,” a Timberwolves source told Robinson. “If Kyrie came it would be sweet.”
How Irving Can Help Minnesota
Sporting a 15-8 record, the Timberwolves are currently the No. 6 seed in the West — but just two games behind the 17-6 Los Angeles Lakers for the conference’s No. 2 seed. Edwards, All-Star power forward Julius Randle, and All-Defensive wing Jaden McDaniels have all been great, while four-time Defensive Player of the Year center Rudy Gobert remains a double-double machine, even if he has perhaps lost half a step athletically.
Minnesota’s clear issue is at the point. 38-year-old former All-Star starter Mike Conley’s game has so declined that he has been shifted to a bench role. Off-guard Donte DiVincenzo is now the Timberwolves’ starter at the position by default, and because Edwards frequently initiates the offense and brings the ball up, it has worked short-term. But bringing in a second primary backcourt ball handler could abet the club. Provided Minnesota can hold on to Randle and Gobert in an Irving deal (the Mavericks, after all, have plenty of big guys already), it may be worth exploring.
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