ESPN’s latest NBA Rank is a blunt reminder of how thin the Mavericks’ top-end talent really is.
Dallas placed just two players in the network’s annual top 100: Cooper Flagg at No. 23 and Kyrie Irving at No. 39. That’s the kind of list that makes the Flagg number jump off the page first - and deservedly so - but it also leaves a much bigger question hanging over the roster.
Because after Flagg, there isn’t another Mavericks player on the list.
That matters when the conversation turns to Irving, who has been the subject of trade speculation all offseason. He’s the team’s second-highest-ranked player and the only other Dallas name in ESPN’s top 100, which puts the stakes of any potential deal into sharp focus. The Mavericks already saw what life looked like when only one of those players was available last season, and it wasn’t pretty.
Flagg is already a major piece of the puzzle, but the reality is simple: he can’t carry everything alone. He was 18 when he entered the league a season ago, and the burden of being the centerpiece at that age is enormous. Dallas needs another established player next to him, and Irving is the only one the rankings show right now.
That’s why moving Irving would come at a steep cost. Even the league’s best players usually have a dependable partner beside them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has Jalen Williams. Nikola Jokic has Jamal Murray.
Luka Doncic has Austin Reaves. If Irving is dealt, Flagg would be left without another proven top-100 teammate.
At the same time, the case for considering a trade is easy to see. Irving is 34 and coming off a torn ACL, and that raises the obvious question of whether he fits the timeline of a team built around a 19-year-old Flagg. If Dallas thinks it can turn him into multiple pieces that better match that future, or into draft capital, it makes sense to at least listen.
Still, ESPN’s rankings underline what the Mavericks would be walking away from. Without Irving, Dallas would be taking a major short-term hit, and maybe more than that. Even a strong return in a trade would not erase the fact that the team would be giving up one of its only established stars.
The bigger picture is plain enough: Dallas is not deep, and it does not have much proven talent beyond Flagg and Irving. If Irving is eventually moved, the Mavericks will be betting that whatever comes back can eventually make up for what they lost.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Mania Is Already Reaching Another Level In Dallas
Cooper Flaggs arrival in Dallas is already spilling far beyond the court, with his one-of-one Topps Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card drawing jaw-dropping attention before he has even settled into an NBA routine. The card, which features a patch from the jersey he wore in his debut, sold for $8.04 million in Fanatics Collects September Premier Auction and set five records, including the highest price ever for a basketball card featuring a single player and for a Mavericks card.
It was graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA and became the latest symbol of how quickly Flagg has turned into a national obsession. The sale also topped every previous Rookie Debut Patch card price, a reminder that the hype around Dallas newest centerpiece is now extending well beyond ticket sales and into the high-end collectibles world. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Back But Dallas Has A Real Roster Question
Dwight Powell is back with the Mavericks and is set to report to training camp, keeping one of the franchises most familiar faces in the building as Dallas sorts through the final edges of its roster. Powell remains the teams longest-tenured player, and even with the roster already filling out around the 15 standard contracts and two-way spots, he still has a place in camp as his career with the Mavericks continues.
What makes the situation worth watching is that Powell arrives in camp without a contract slot currently attached to him, a reminder that Dallas is carrying more than just basketball decisions into October. The Mavs know what Powell has meant to the organization over the years, and his presence gives them another experienced veteran in the room, but it also leaves a real roster question hanging over how the team wants to handle the last part of its build. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Puts A New Mavericks Reality Into Focus
Kyrie Irving is set to return to NBA action after an 18-month absence, and his comeback arrives at a moment when the Mavericks are trying to settle into a new shape around him. After tearing his left ACL, Irving spent the last stretch working his way back with the expectation that Dallas will keep an eye on his workload, but the bigger takeaway is that he now looks ready to rejoin the team as more than just a scorer. He has talked through the recovery process as something that tested him and left him determined to make an impact again.
For Dallas, the timing matters because Irvings return restores one of the leagues most skilled guards to a roster that has been waiting a long time to see what this version of the team can become. Irving has said he is prepared to contribute as a player and as a leader, and the Mavericks will now have to sort out how quickly he can slide back into rhythm while the seasons bigger questions keep moving around him. The health part is only the start - what comes next is how the team adapts to having him back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]