Mavericks escaped Anthony Davis concern, though Kyrie Irving could keep it alive

Rather than enter an offseason where Anthony Davis would become extension-eligible, the Dallas Mavericks opted to trade him before the February deadline. Now, it's the Wizards wondering whether to pay him if he doesn't want to be traded, so the Mavs dodged that dilemma, but that doesn't mean they're fully in the clear. Kyrie Irving still exists.

An ESPN panel selected Davis as the likeliest NBA player who will be the next to request a trade (shocker!), and he was the clear frontrunner with 10 votes. However, right behind him was Irving, who finished with four votes. On the topic of the 34-year-old point guard, ESPN wrote:

But front offices across the league anticipate that one or both parties could decide it's in their best interest to part ways, wondering about the long-term fit of the 34-year-old Irving as the Mavs prioritize building around teenage prodigy Cooper Flagg.

The point of the Mavericks landing Davis in the Luka Dončić trade was that Nico Harrison (sorry that you had to read his name) believed that the big man put Dallas in a better position to win a title. It became even more evident pretty quickly, as in his literal first game, that wouldn't happen. Instead of waiting for him to decide what he wanted from the organization, they sent him packing a year later.

Dallas avoided the AD headache, but what about Irving?

Will Kyrie Irving actually request a trade?

If the teams that are already circling the Mavericks had it their way, he would. The thing is, though, Dallas doesn't seem to have any intention of letting him go, at least not right now. That would change if Irving were the one to decide he wanted to go somewhere he'd have a chance at winning another championship.

Irving hasn't given any indication that he wants to leave Dallas. Even while in rehab after tearing his ACL at the end of the 2024-25 season, he stayed engaged with the organization and didn't step away from his leadership role. He seems to have truly enjoyed being part of the Mavericks, but that doesn't mean that he won't decide that what's best for him is to go to a contender.

As ESPN noted, Dallas could opt to trade Irving, since he has one more guaranteed year on his contract and a $42.4 million player option for 2027-28. It seems that, if they take that route, it won't happen until during the season. Or it could be the guard who pulls the plug.

Either way, the Irving uncertainty doesn't put the Mavericks at a disadvantage the way Davis would have if Dallas had entered the 2026-27 season with him (you know he will push for a max extension), though they will still have to weigh his future, just as they did with AD.

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