New Report On Mavericks Targeting 20-Year NBA Veteran To Pair With Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks are expected to target the NBA's longest tenured point guard once free agency opens July 1

May 14, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Dallas Mavericks are in search of a one-year solution at the point guard position while superstar Kyrie Irving recovers from the torn ACL he suffered in March. The latest reporting indicates that Dallas has a certain 20-year-veteran in mind to fill the position.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, 40-year-old Chris Paul headlines the Mavericks' list of potential targets in free agency. Paul averaged a career low 8.8 points per game in 2024-25, his lone season with the San Antonio Spurs, though he did improve from 6.8 assists per game in 2023-24 to 7.4 assists in 2024-25.

REPORT: The Mavericks are expected to use their $5.7 million MLE to target Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, D'Angelo Russell, or Malcolm Brogdon, per @ShamsCharania.

(h/t @Fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/p1P7Lx6b84

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 25, 2025

Other names the Mavericks are expected to target this offseason include Dennis Schroder, Malcolm Brogdon and D'Angelo Russell.

"The Mavs are expected to open up the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception by signing Irving to this deal," Charania wrote. "Potential targets for that salary slot would have included Dennis Schroder, D'Angelo Russell, Chris Paul and Malcolm Brogdon, sources said.”

Charania's article also indicated that Dallas could see Irving return as soon as January 2026, meaning Paul could reasonably fill in as a starter during the first half of the year while moving to a key reserve or potentially even a sixth man role in the second half of the season and for a potential playoff push.

ESPN story on Dallas Mavericks All-Star Kyrie Irving intending to sign a three-year, $119 million contract to stay with the franchise: https://t.co/hXXubJ6tVz

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2025

Paul would add yet another first-ballot Hall-of-Fame presence to a locker room that is all but guaranteed to add a potentially generational player in prospective No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, joining Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson.

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