Kyrie Irving’s ‘in love’ admission when asked about future with Dallas Mavericks amid trade rumours
· Yahoo Sports
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has made a definitive statement to quash all rumours about him wanting to be traded away from the franchise.
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Irving arrived in February 2023 to a franchise in disarray, missing the Playoffs one season after a run to the Western Conference Finals.
His first full season led to an NBA Finals run, but since the Luka Doncic trade and his torn ACL in 2025, the franchise is completely different, and his place in it is being questioned by the media and the fans.
Kyrie Irving’s love for Dallas makes him want to stay with the Mavericks
Irving was asked about the questions around his future at Mavericks’ media day, with the 33-year-old admitting that he loves Dallas too much and wants to stay with the franchise despite the chaos.
“I’m not gonna shy away from saying it’s been a little chaotic at times, inside the locker room as well as outside… I’m in love with this place just because of how welcoming it was, not just from the franchise aspect but also the fans, lot of support around the city… We’re building something… Having that championship mindset that whatever we face we can deal with.”
While Irving was brought in to compete for a title as Doncic’s co-star, he will now be the veteran leader helping Cooper Flagg establish himself as a star in the NBA.
The Flagg and Irving duo might not be as prolific as the one with Doncic, but it might help prepare the 19-year-old Flagg to embrace being the franchise’s No. 1 option now and in the future.
The Mavericks front office has made it clear that they want to see Irving play alongside Flagg before making any decisions about Irving’s future.
Kyrie Irving’s future on the Mavericks remains uncertain despite his admission
Even though Irving is sharing his love for the city and the fanbase, the NBA is a cruel business, and he could find himself moved if it serves the organisation’s purposes.
Photo by David Berding/Getty ImagesMavs President Masai Ujiri has previously traded away franchise icons he drafted and developed for a championship opportunity, so he won’t hesitate to deal Irving in a trade if it’s best for the franchise.
However, if the Mavericks have a winning start to the season and look actually competitive, he might secure his future with the franchise instead of being dangled as a win-now trade chip for other teams.
Irving is currently extension-eligible and can enter free agency in 2027 if he declines the $42.4 million player option in his contract.
The best-case for the Mavericks would be for Kyrie to decline the option and secure a long-term contract with a lower annual hit to ensure the team retains flexibility for the future.
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