Cooper Flagg's Rise Signals the End of Kyrie Irving's Mavs Run, Reveal NBA Insiders

Many NBA fans are looking forward to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2026-27 season. The main reason is that it'll be the first time Cooper Flagg will share the court with Kyrie Irving. Back in April 2025, Irving tore his left ACL, forcing him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. But now that Kai is 100% healthy again, many are looking forward to seeing how he can help elevate Coop's game.

Speaking of elevation, while it'll be interesting to see how the mentor-student relationship between Flagg and Irving plays out, NBA insider Marc Spears believes the sophomore's rise could turn out to be the veteran's fall in Dallas.

"Masai (Uijiri) also has a really good relationship with Kyrie Irving," Spears noted on NBA Today. "I think it's the kind of relationship where if Kyrie says, 'Hey, Masai, like, this isn't for me.' I think they could work together to get something done. I don't think it would be something ugly."

Spears also noted how Irving's health will play a factor in the Mavs' president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri, decision to keep him around.

"I think there would be interest in Kyrie if he's as healthy as he looks," Spears added.

Clearly, the Mavs have already prioritized building a team around Flagg as the franchise's main attraction. Stars like Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson were shipped out of Dallas despite supposedly acting as Coop's veterans to help him grow. It wouldn't be surprising if the Mavericks take a similar direction with Irving in the near future.

NBA Insider Expresses Concerns For Kyrie Irving's Future in Dallas

Now that Kyrie Irving has fully recovered, he's expected to participate at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Irving is already trying to make up for lost time as he has been spotted leading the Dallas Mavericks in a training session in Santa Monica, California.

NBA insider Tim MacMahon noted that Irving has always been known to be a vocal and proactive leader. While it's good for the Mavericks to have someone like him on the roster, MacMahon expressed concern about how long his leadership in Dallas would last.

"(Kyrie Irving) returns to the role that he had when Luka was in Dallas," MacMahon said on NBA Today. "The co-star and the vocal leader of the team, the voice in the locker room, the veteran that all these guys look up to and want to listen to. But I'll tell you, the question that's being asked around the league is: for how long? How long is this fit with Kyrie and the Mavericks?"

MacMahon then noted that Irving's future in Dallas could be affected by Cooper Flagg, who the Mavericks organization has begun building their team around.

"It's not because the Mavericks don't love Kyrie," MacMahon added. "They do. It's not because Kyrie doesn't love Dallas... But they're building around a 19-year-old prodigy in Cooper Flagg. So could there come a time when it makes sense for both sides to find a contender for Kyrie to go to?"

For now, everything remains to be seen. As of this writing, there are no reports that the Mavericks are planning to ship Irving to another team. However, there is speculation that Dallas will closely monitor Kyrie's health until the trade deadline in February 2027.