Kyrie Irving blockbuster trade proposal reshapes Mavericks' hyped Cooper Flagg era

The Dallas Mavericks are looking ahead to next season after being eliminated from qualifying for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Trade packages and rumors will be surrounding the team ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft and free agency, and a recent trade proposal has Kyrie Irving heading to the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite Irving's importance to Dallas, this offer might be too good for the Mavs to pass up.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley wrote an article titled "5 Trades That Would Blow Up Our Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft." Buckley's article included a trade proposal between the Mavericks and the Bucks. They have the Mavericks taking Illinois' Keaton Wagler with the sixth overall pick, and this proposal gives them another chance to draft a top-10 talent with the first-round pick they acquire from Milwaukee.

Bold Kyrie Irving trade gives Dallas another first-round pick

"For as much as the Mavericks might want to see how Cooper Flagg would look with a healthy Irving, they should be more eager for the opportunity to add potential long-term building blocks," Buckley said. "Adding a second top-10 pick in a class as celebrated as this could be enormous, and that's before factoring in what the future might hold for Rollins, a 23-year-old in the thick of the Most Improved race."

This trade idea is extremely bold. However, it makes sense when considering the Bucks' perspective to keep their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, happy. This season, the Bucks will likely miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and that was the last season before Antetokounmpo became an All-Star.

The Bucks are in a position to retool their roster this summer, and Irving would give Antetokounmpo a new co-star. Even though trading away Irving in this proposal would be extremely difficult, it's a move the Mavericks should at least think about.

Milwaukee's assets make this hard for the Mavericks to ignore

Getting the first-round pick from Milwaukee, which is projected to be tenth overall, is a good start. The Mavericks don't own their own first-round draft pick (after this year) until 2031, and that is crucial here. Getting the Bucks' 2026 first-round draft pick would give the Mavericks not only two first-round draft picks in the top-10, but also the ability to draft two cornerstone players to play with Flagg for many years.

The players the Mavericks would receive as part of this deal are also beneficial, with the headliner being Ryan Rollins. This season, Rollins has taken his game to another level. He averages 17 points per game, over a 10-point improvement from last season.

Rollins has also seen improvement in his passing game by averaging over 5.5 assists per game. Before this season, Rollins never averaged over two assists per game. Rollins can fill Irving's shoes at the point guard position if the teams were to make the trade.

Kuzma has seen a drop in his game since joining the Bucks last season. Kuzma's scoring is down compared to his seasons with the Washington Wizards. However, Kuzma still has the ability to break out and score consistently, and he can provide experience at the power forward spot.

Portis can also provide veteran leadership at the same position. While Portis isn't known for his scoring capabilities as much as Kuzma, he can grab rebounds and shoot a good 3-ball, a major issue for the Mavericks all season.

The Mavericks will be busy this offseason to build for the future with Flagg. Despite being a fan favorite and an all-time great point guard, this trade proposal is too good for the Mavericks to pass up, as they'd acquire two NBA Champions, an emerging young guard, and a valuable first-round pick.