The Miami Heat may not be done making noise after already landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, and now another massive name has been thrown into the mix: Kyrie Irving.
Irving’s future in Dallas is already drawing league-wide speculation. The Mavericks have pushed back on trade interest all offseason, but that hasn’t stopped other teams from wondering whether that stance holds once the season starts and the Feb. 11 in-season trade deadline gets closer.
“The Mavericks, as we've been writing since mid-June, have consistently swatted away trade interest this offseason in nine-times-an-All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. Rival teams, however, continue to wonder aloud about how firmly Dallas will stick to that stance once the season begins and the next in-season trade deadline on Feb. 11 gradually approaches.
The primary factor fueling that curiosity, of course, is that fact that Irving is 34 and Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg is 19. Not your average age gap between the team's two best players,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote.
If Dallas ever opens the door, Miami is being floated as a possible landing spot. Heat RoundTable’s Sean Jordan believes a deal would center on Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic going out to Dallas.
“Kyrie Irving has been included in trade discussions throughout the entire offseason and the Heat could be a destination even after all of their offseason acquisitions. A trade for Irving would most likely include Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic as the two main outgoing pieces,” Jordan wrote.
That kind of move would only add to what has already been a stunning summer in Miami. The Heat already swung one of the biggest deals of the year when they traded for Antetokounmpo.
“The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in Tuesday's NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick, sources told ESPN. The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.
If the Heat somehow pulled off an Irving deal on top of that, the roster would become even more staggering. For now, it remains a possibility - but one that fits the way Miami has approached this offseason: all-in.
In Other News...
Mavericks Are Sending A Clear Message About Sergio De Larrea
Sergio De Larreas first few months in Dallas have done more than introduce the Mavericks first-round pick from the 2026 NBA Draft. They have also hinted at how the organization views his path to real minutes. After a Summer League showing that turned heads with his playmaking instincts, De Larrea has already put himself in the conversation as part of the teams immediate guard picture, not just a developmental stash for later.
That matters because the Mavericks do not have much margin for error behind Kyrie Irving, and the way the roster has come together suggests the front office is comfortable leaning on De Larrea sooner rather than later. With Marcus Sasser in the mix as well, the backup point guard room is thin enough that every preseason look and rotation decision carries extra weight. If Irving misses time, Dallas may not have the luxury of easing De Larrea in slowly. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Washington's Starting Role Suddenly Looks Far Less Safe
Training camp has not even sorted itself out yet, but the Mavericks already have a lineup question worth watching at power forward. A team insider has projected rookie Morez Johnson Jr., Dallas 2024 first-round pick, to open the season in the starting role, a development that would change the shape of the frontcourt and make P.J. Washingtons path to the first unit much less certain. For a team trying to balance size, versatility and lineup fit, it is the kind of early debate that can linger well into preseason.
Washington still has a strong case to stay involved in the starting mix, especially because his defensive versatility gives Dallas a look it values. His ability to handle multiple jobs on that end is part of why the Mavericks may be reluctant to move too quickly, even with a young big pressing for minutes. For now, though, the decision appears fluid, with camp and preseason expected to determine whether Dallas leans into the rookie or keeps Washington in place. [Read more 🡒]
Dusty May Is Putting Early Pressure On The Mavs Rotation
Dusty May is already putting a familiar message in front of his new Mavericks group, and it is one he says helped carry his Michigan teams through injury trouble and all the way to a national championship. The newly hired Dallas coach has leaned into a next-man-up mentality, stressing that every player needs to stay prepared for whatever role opens up, a fitting early tone for a roster trying to settle around Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
The timing makes the message even more relevant with preseason approaching and the regular season not far behind. May is using the summer to drill the idea that depth matters and that minutes can change quickly, which puts some pressure on the rotation picture before the games start to count on Oct. 21. Dallas will get its first chance to see how that looks in live action on Oct. 9, when the preseason begins against Houston in Macao. [Read more 🡒]