Following the NBA Draft Combine and through the Conference Finals, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel on the futures of stars Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard, where some top draft prospects are projected to land for the Clippers, Hawks, and Kings, front office updates on the Lakers, 76ers, and Jazz, and coaching updates on the Bulls, Blazers, and Pelicans.
How long can Kyrie Irving fit alongside Cooper Flagg?
When Masai Ujiri was hired as Mavericks president and alternate governor, he joined Utah’s Danny Ainge, Brooklyn’s Sean Marks, and Denver’s Josh Kroenke as current team executives with an additional alternate governor title or higher ranking.
Since the hiring of Ujiri, his message has been clear – everything going forward is about Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg’s development and building around the 19-year-old phenom. In multiple media availabilities since being hired, Ujiri has publicly said that pairing Kyrie Irving is part of that endeavor.
“Kevin Durant once told me that there’s only one Kyrie walking around in the world,” Ujiri said most recently. “Yeah, I think we have to figure out a way how Kyrie fits with our program. I’ve had those conversations with Kyrie. I think Kyrie will fit. There’s a huge curiosity in our minds to see how Kyrie fits playing with Cooper Flagg. He’s just that kind of like an incredible talent and player. I think we owe this organization that.”
Yet, Ujiri’s adjoining stance that Flagg and Irving can form an effective duo has left rival executives around the league wondering how long Irving, a nine-time All-Star who’s coming off a torn left ACL and just turned 34, can co-exist with Flagg when the two players are on different career timelines?
It’s also worth noting that Irving had immense respect for former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was his idol growing up as a New Jersey Nets fan. Now, while owed $39.49 million for the 2026-27 season and has a $42.42 million player option for the 2027-28 season, how will Irving respond to a new head coach and coming back from a torn ACL?
Notwithstanding, new Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz echoed Ujiri’s sentiment and lauded the pairing of Flagg and Irving on paper when looking ahead to the upcoming season. “That’s something you dream of,” Schmitz said. “Having a magician with the ball like that who can pass, dribble, shoot, and someone with the connective qualities of Cooper. It’s a match made in Heaven.”
As the Mavericks and Irving find out the answers to these questions, executives around the league will monitor Irving’s return to play and fit alongside Flagg.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks will have a top-10 pick in the draft in consecutive years for the first time since 2017 and 2018, which gave Schmitz confidence that Dallas can get a “rotation-level player” with their pick.
While Schmitz will be tasked with helping Ujiri identify the right young talent to add to the Mavericks, more help may be on the way.
According to league sources, the Mavericks have expressed interest in adding Philadelphia’s Prosper Karangwa to their front office, and Toronto’s director of global scouting, Patrick Englebrecht, is also a candidate to reunite with Ujiri in Dallas after they worked together since the 2013-14 season.
What’s next for Kawhi Leonard and the No. 5 pick?
Within league circles, there are three questions surrounding the ) on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Blue Sky (@MikeAScotto).
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA Intel: Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, NBA Draft, Lakers, 76ers, Hawks, Bulls, Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, Jazz