Could this former Duke duo breakup before they begin?
With Kyrie Irving sidelined last season, him and Cooper Flagg have yet to play together. Ahead of the 2026-27 season, could Irving be moved?
The rest of the NBA took notice Monday when the Dallas Mavericks signed former Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri to be their new president and alternate governor. In 15 seasons as an executive between the Raptors and Denver Nuggets , Ujiri's teams have a record of 690-504. Ujiri is most well-known for his scouting and drafting prowess in addition to successful trades.
One of those trades resulted in a championship (2019), with Ujiri and the Raptors acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs . Now tasked with building around Cooper Flagg, could Ujiri move on from a former Blue Devil? Why the Mavericks could move on from Kyrie Irving Taking into account Dallas' 12th-place finish in the Western Conference last season, Ujiri may be compelled to trade away veterans.
This would help the Mavericks stockpile draft capital to surround Flagg with players who fit their future timeline much better. Besides Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks have few players who fit that bill. Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Klay Thompson may also fall under that category, but they wouldn't fetch near the same return that Irving would.
Considering Ujiri's experience trading away All-Star caliber talent like DeMar DeRozan, Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry and OG Anunoby, could Irving be next? Only time will tell. This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Could this former Duke duo breakup before they begin?