Cooper Flagg may already be the centerpiece in Dallas, but the Mavericks are making it clear they don’t see him as a solo act.
That was easy to see Saturday night in Las Vegas, where Kyrie Irving was courtside for the Mavericks’ Summer League game against the Lakers and sat alongside Flagg and Dereck Lively II. Broadcast cameras picked up Irving and Flagg talking throughout the game as Dallas watched its young group - including new draft pick Morez Johnson Jr. and guard Ryan Nembhard - take the floor.
The Mavericks fell behind after a competitive start and eventually lost 91-70, with Arthur Kaluma scoring 34 points for Los Angeles. Nembhard led Dallas with 12 points.
The scene carried extra weight because of everything that has surrounded Dallas since the draft. Flagg arrived as the No. 1 pick out of Duke and immediately looked the part of a franchise face, winning Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists over 70 starts. Over the last 45 years, only Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic have posted rookie numbers like that.
Irving, meanwhile, spent the season rehabbing from a torn left ACL he suffered in March 2025. He expects to be back for opening night this fall, and the Mavericks’ new leadership has been openly building around the idea of pairing him with Flagg. Masai Ujiri is now running basketball operations, and Dusty May has taken over as head coach.
That direction has already quieted the trade chatter that swirled before the draft. Plenty of analysts assumed Dallas might move Irving and fully hand the keys to Flagg, especially after the team parted ways with Jason Kidd, who had been close with Irving. But Ujiri has pushed back on that idea and made it clear he wants Irving back.
He even referenced a conversation with Kevin Durant, who told him, "There's only one Kyrie walking around in the world."
Ujiri has said he’s been in direct contact with Irving and believes the guard fits into the team’s long-term plans. Irving still has two years left on his contract, which only strengthens that case.
So while the box score from Las Vegas was just another Summer League result, the courtside picture told a bigger story: Dallas is already working to bring its old guard and new star together. If Irving’s recovery stays on schedule, the Mavericks expect him to join Flagg in the starting lineup this fall.
In Other News...
Mavericks Finally Got A Summer League Win But Fans Noticed This Too
The Mavericks finally broke through in Summer League, topping the Memphis Grizzlies 96-88 for their first win of the showcase. It was a useful night for a roster still sorting itself out, with Sergio De Larrea handling a bigger share of the offense and the second unit supplying plenty of help along the way.
De Larrea finished with 16 points and 12 assists, a line that stood out even more because Dallas was missing Morez Johnson Jr. and Ryan Nembhard. The bench did its part too, as Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, Darin Green Jr. and Jaden Springer all reached double figures, giving the Mavericks a deeper look at who can carry real weight when the rotation thins out. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks May Have Quietly Found Another Hidden Gem On Draft Night
The Mavericks have spent the summer looking for value wherever they can find it, and one of the quieter draft-night moves may already be paying off. Dallas picked up draft rights to a late second-round selection from the Lakers for cash considerations, a low-cost swing that has started to look smarter by the day as the newcomer has flashed physicality, defense and enough versatility to stand out in Summer League.
He has also drawn positive remarks from the Mavericks Summer League staff after holding his own against tougher competition, the kind of early impression that can matter for a player trying to carve out a path. Dallas does not have an open roster spot right now, but the expectation is that he will get a training camp invite and a chance to keep forcing the issue for a place in the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks May Finally Have A Klay Thompson Decision To Make
Klay Thompson may have become a name to watch again in Dallas, where the Mavericks still have him on an expiring deal worth about $17.5 million next season. Miami is reportedly interested in bringing in the veteran shooter regardless of what LeBron James decides, and that kind of interest matters because Dallas would rather work out a trade than simply move on via buyout.
For the Mavericks, the appeal is obvious: Thompson still carries enough reputation as a high-end floor spacer to draw real attention, even if his contract makes any deal tricky. For Miami, the pursuit sits alongside a broader search for scoring options, with the Heat also keeping tabs on other veteran names as they sort through a crowded offseason board. [Read more 🡒]