The Houston Rockets are off to a 3-0 start, and that hot opening has them looking like the kind of team that can chase bigger things than a strong regular season. After last year ended with a first-round playoff exit against the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston appears intent on making sure this season does not end the same way.
That’s the backdrop for a blockbuster idea that’s already out there: a Fred VanVleet-for-Kyrie Irving swap. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn floated the concept as one way the Rockets could add another major piece if they decide their current window is real.
“The Houston Rockets are 3-0, sitting atop the Western Conference standings, and looking like one of the most complete teams in basketball. This is exactly what Houston envisioned before Fred VanVleet went down with an injury last season. The Rockets had put together a roster they believed could compete for a championship, but injuries forced players into different roles and prevented the team from reaching its full potential,” SI’s Amir Motameni wrote.
Quinn pointed to VanVleet’s value in any larger deal while discussing why Dallas would be the obvious place to look in an Irving swap.
“Dallas in some sort of Irving swap is the obvious choice here, but VanVleet is about as flexible as point guards get. He can defend bigger players and doesn't need to hoard usage thanks to his 3-point shooting. Any team would be happy to have him as part of a bigger deal,” Quinn wrote.
Irving’s future still isn’t settled, and NBA insider Marc Spears said the Mavericks could help make a deal happen if Irving wants out.
“Masai also has a really good relationship as you mentioned with Kyrie Irving. I think it's the kind of relationship where if Kyrie says, hey, Masai, like, this isn't for me, I think they could work together to get something done.
I don't think would be something ugly. I think there would be interest in Kyrie if he's as healthy as he looks," Spears said.
If Houston does get a crack at Irving, the logic is easy to see. He and Kevin Durant nearly won a title together with the Brooklyn Nets, and a reunion would give the Rockets another path toward real championship contention.
In Other News...
Mavericks Face A Telling Risacher Decision As Deadline Nears
The Mavericks are facing an important early-season roster call with Zaccharie Risacher, whose rookie-scale option for the 2027-28 season still has not been exercised. Dallas has until Monday to make the decision, and the timing adds another layer to a start that has already been uneven for the young wing, who has struggled with his shooting but has also shown value at the other end with strong numbers in steals and blocks.
For a team trying to sort out its long-term core, the choice carries real weight because it speaks to how much faith Dallas has in Risachers development right now versus what it wants to see before committing further down the line. The Mavericks are not alone in monitoring roster health and personnel movement around the league either, with Houston expected to be without Alperen Sengun for multiple games because of a mild back strain and Memphis guard Ty Jerome opening the fall strongly after his calf injury recovery, but Dallas focus remains on whether this is the right moment to lock in Risacher for the future. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Face Another Injury Headache With Thunder Also Shorthanded
The Mavericks are headed into another matchup with a familiar kind of uncertainty, only this time the Thunder are dealing with it too. Oklahoma City has several names on its injury report, with season-ending absences already in place for Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, while Ajay Mitchell is questionable after an ankle issue. Dallas is juggling its own list of questionable, doubtful and out players, which has become an all-too-familiar backdrop as it tries to keep its rotation stable.
One of the bigger questions for Dallas is Kyrie Irving, who is on the report with a left knee injury. The Thunder will also be short-handed in the frontcourt, with Chet Holmgren unavailable because of right knee patellar tendinitis, adding another wrinkle to a game that already carries more injury drama than usual. For the Mavericks, the concern is less about one night than about how often they keep having to adjust on the fly while the roster continues to change from game to game. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Front Office Shakeup Comes At A Crucial Time
The Mavericks are entering another stretch of transition off the floor, with CEO Rick Welts announcing he will retire at the end of the year. Welts came out of retirement in 2024 to help steer the organization through one of its biggest long-term projects, including planning for the teams new arena location as the franchise looks ahead to a move expected in 2031.
The timing matters because the front office is now lining up its next leader while that process continues. Ethan Casson, already a president within the organization, will step in as CEO on Jan. 1, giving the Mavericks a relatively clean handoff even as the work around the arena plan and the teams future remains very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]