Kyrie Irving’s future in Dallas keeps drawing attention, even as the Mavericks insist they want him as part of their next core.
The team has spent the offseason remaking itself, and that reset picked up even more steam when Dallas used the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on generational prospect Cooper Flagg. On paper, the Mavericks have a clear direction: build around Flagg and keep Irving in the mix as a veteran presence.
But the trade chatter around Irving hasn’t gone away. The latest buzz came from former NFL star Chad Johnson, who floated the idea of Irving leaving Dallas for a reunion with LeBron James in Miami.
“What about the opportunity of Kyrie going to Miami. I’m telling y’all again ahead of time.
I get a chance to throw these hints out but nobody is really picking up what I’m putting down. What are the chances of Kyrie going down to Miami?”
Johnson said.
Former NBA guard Joe Johnson backed the concept, too, saying he’d like to see Irving and James team up again after what they accomplished together in Cleveland.
“I love it bro - I’m a big fan of Kyrie. I wouldn’t mind seeing him and Bron get back together,” Joe said.
James is currently an unrestricted free agent after his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers expired, and he has already told the organization he does not intend to return. The Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have been the teams most commonly linked to him.
For now, Dallas continues to say Irving is part of its plans, with the franchise viewing him as an important veteran leader next to Flagg. Still, Miami’s aggressive approach this offseason keeps the rumor mill spinning. If James decides the Heat are his destination, Pat Riley could look at every route available to try to put the former championship duo back together.
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The cap math is tight, and it would take a very specific sequence of moves to make the idea work, which is why the speculation feels more like a thought exercise than a true lead. Still, the timing is enough to keep attention on the wider field of possibilities, with Miami among the teams that naturally belong in any LeBron conversation as the decision approaches. [Read more 🡒]