Masai Ujiri, the Mavericks president, has prioritised building around Cooper Flagg and wants to pair him with Kyrie Irving. Ujiri believes Irving will fit with the Mavericks program and is curious to see how the two players perform together. He quoted Kevin Durant, saying, “there’s only one Kyrie walking around in the world.”
Doubts Over Irving and Flagg Pairing
Despite the optimism, rival executives are wondering how Irving, a nine-time All-Star who is 34 and recovering from a torn left ACL, will co-exist with Flagg. The executives are concerned about the different career timelines of the two players. Irving is owed $39.49 million for the 2026-27 season and has a $42.42 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
Mavericks’ Optimism Remains
Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz echoed Ujiri’s sentiment. Schmitz lauded the potential pairing of Flagg and Irving. “That’s something you dream of,” Schmitz said, adding that Irving is a “magician with the ball” and Flagg has “connective qualities”, calling it “a match made in Heaven.”
Monitoring Irving’s Return
Executives around the league will monitor Irving’s return to play and his fit alongside Flagg. Irving had respect for former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was his idol growing up. How Irving will respond to a new head coach and coming back from a torn ACL will be a key factor.
The Mavericks will have a top-10 pick in the draft in consecutive years for the first time since 2017 and 2018. Schmitz believes Dallas can get a “rotation-level player” with their pick.
The Mavericks have expressed interest in adding Philadelphia’s Prospe.