Will Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg Actually Fit Together on Dallas Mavericks?

With Kyrie Irving set to come back after missing all of the 2025-26 season due to a torn ACL, the Dallas Mavericks have a fascinating duo of stars with him and Cooper Flagg.

Despite being 15 years apart in age, the Mavericks are convinced that Flagg and Irving can be great fits on the court, but is that actually the case?

The Mavericks have denied any trade interest in Irving thus far, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon admits that Irving will be a popular trade candidate if this doesn't go well.

"Teams across the league are intrigued by how, or if, the 34-year-old Kyrie Irving fits in the Mavericks' long-term plans as the franchise prioritizes building around its teenage prodigy," MacMahon wrote in ESPN's injury update piece. "A healthy Irving, who has averaged 25.5 points and 5.1 assists per game in a Mavs uniform, could be a prime target for contenders before the trade deadline if new Dallas president Masai Ujiri is willing to engage in those discussions."

So, that raises the question: Will Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg fit together on the court?

Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) and guard Kyrie Irving (right) look on during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Analyzing Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg's On-Court Fit

Kyrie Irving missing all of last year makes him a little bit of an unknown. While everyone thinks that he'll be able to bounce back to full strength, we really have no idea until we see him on an NBA court again.

Giving Irving 18 months for recovery could leave him with a little bit of rust, or he could be the most refreshed we've seen him in quite some time.

This should be a pretty seamless fit, though. Flagg was at his best in college as the secondary playmaker, getting the ball in transition and distributing it around to other scorers while he chose his spots.

Jason Kidd put the ball in Cooper Flagg's hands a lot in his rookie season, so Flagg was forced to grow as a primary playmaker, and while he's still best as the secondary ball-handler, he demands a lot of respect when the ball is in his hands.

You give him Kyrie Irving to play off of, and that's a dangerous combo.

Irving also has a lot of experience playing with guys who need the ball in their hands, having played with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and plenty more. He's been around long enough to put guys in the right spot, but he's still talented enough to beat the defense himself.

That 1-2 combo is going to be thrilling to watch, but they're still probably one piece away from truly contending in the Western Conference. The issue is that Irving isn't getting any younger.

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