Kyrie Irving’s name is already back in the rumor mill, and one of the wildest ideas floating around has him landing in Toronto.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley floated a trade concept that would send Irving to the Raptors if Dallas decided to open the door. In the deal, the Mavericks would get Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter and a 2028 first-round pick that is top-five protected, while Toronto would bring in Irving.
It’s the kind of proposal that turns heads fast, especially with Irving now fully recovered from the torn ACL in his left knee and expected to be on the floor for the Mavericks next season. Even so, the fit in Dallas is still being questioned because the team isn’t expected to make the playoffs. Irving is 34, coming off a major injury, and his championship window is clearly getting tighter.
That’s why the idea of a move has started to gain traction. If Irving were to ask out, he’d almost certainly have a market full of contenders. Dallas may end up being a surprise team in the West, but next year doesn’t exactly scream title chase.
Buckley’s pitch got extra attention because it also factored in Kawhi Leonard’s arrival in Toronto, if that separate deal gets approved before the season starts. The NBA still hasn’t fully approved the Clippers-Raptors trade centered on Leonard, and the investigation into off-court deals involving him is ongoing. If that does go through, the thought of Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes together in Toronto suddenly looks a lot more serious.
For now, though, Dallas is saying it wants to keep its star guard. A Mavericks front office member said, “He keeps getting put in all kinds of rumors, but we’re not looking to move Kyrie and Kyrie isn’t looking to be moved either. We didn’t get to see him with Cooper (Flagg) last year, but we’re very excited to see that pairing this year.”
The Mavericks want to see what Irving and Cooper Flagg can do together before making any big decisions. Still, if Dallas ever does decide to shop him, the Raptors would be among the teams expected to jump into the mix.
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The problem is that the Mavericks cannot treat the center position as if everything will hold steady. Livelys injury history has already made frontcourt depth a real concern, and moving Gafford would leave Dallas with a far narrower margin for error if the season turns rough in a hurry. For a team trying to balance present ambition with long-term roster construction, this is the kind of decision that can look tidy on paper and turn messy fast once the games start piling up. [Read more 🡒]