‘Most In-Demand Player’: Chris Mannix Names Detroit Pistons As Suitor For Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving
Mannix said Dallas could replenish its draft picks in a deal for the nine-time All-Star, who scored 35 points against Houston the same day the segment published.
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving will be the most sought-after player at the Feb. 11 NBA trade deadline, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix said Friday. Mannix named the Detroit Pistons as one team he expects to pursue the Dallas Mavericks guard.
Mannix made the comments in a video segment with co-host Evan Turner, the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, while the two broke down the Houston Rockets’ 5-0 start. Before getting to Irving, Mannix called Houston a team to watch before the deadline because general manager Rafael Stone still has draft picks and young players to trade. Irving’s name, he said, would be out there.
“I think Kyrie is a separate topic,” Mannix said. “I think he’s going to be the most in-demand player at the trade deadline because he’s not on the Mavericks’ timeline. And we talked about Houston. I think Detroit is another team that will be salivating over getting Kyrie Irving. They’re off to a great start.
“I think the Mavericks have a chance to get some real assets back in return for a player that’s been good for them, great locker room guy for them,” Mannix continued. “He’s really turned around, turned himself around in Dallas from his previous stops. But you have a chance to really replenish the draft picks in a deal for Kyrie Irving.”
Detroit entered Sunday at 5-1, second in the Eastern Conference. Houston is 6-1.
SI published the segment Friday, hours before the Rockets lost for the first time this season. Irving had 35 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists in Dallas’ 116-111 win at American Airlines Center, shooting 12-of-19 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in 35 minutes. Cooper Flagg added 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Detroit Pistons First Showed Interest In Kyrie Irving In June
On June 12, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that Dallas was telling teams Irving was not available. Stein named the Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves as teams with interest in the nine-time All-Star.
Nothing had changed by late July, when Stein reported the Mavericks were still rebuffing trade feelers for Irving. In late August, he wrote that rival teams were wondering aloud how firmly Dallas would hold that stance once the season began and the deadline approached.
Detroit went 60-22 last season and finished first in the East before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the conference semifinals. Cade Cunningham averaged 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 9.9 assists. Jalen Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
Five years from now, Mannix said, Dallas will be looking for the next Kyrie Irving, someone who can play opposite Flagg once he reaches another level.
“I watched the Pistons some, like, when Jalen Duren is your secondary scorer, like that’s fine for some regular season games,” Mannix explained. “In the playoffs, you’re going to get beat.”
Irving Is Thriving In His Dallas Mavericks Return
Irving tore the ACL in his left knee March 3, 2025, against the Sacramento Kings and missed the entire 2025-26 season. He returned in the Oct. 21 opener at Houston and scored 15 points in 24 minutes of a 128-110 loss.
Through Friday, Irving is averaging 21.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 28.6 minutes over 5 games. He is shooting 52.7% from the field and 39.0% from 3-point range, and he has gone 13-of-13 at the free-throw line.
Dallas held him out of the second night of a back-to-back on Oct. 24. The Mavericks listed him as questionable for left knee injury management before Wednesday’s 120-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he played and scored 15 points.
In the summer of 2025, Irving declined a $43 million player option and signed a three-year, $119 million contract with Dallas. The deal includes a player option for 2027-28. He turns 35 in March.
Dallas acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets at the February 2023 trade deadline. The Mavericks reached the NBA Finals with him the following season.
Mannix said he watched Dallas’ 113-109 win in Miami on Oct. 26. Flagg finished that night with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists, and Irving had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
“I thought it was interesting watching some of these Dallas games,” Mannix said. “I watched the Dallas-Miami game the other night, like down the stretch, usually when Kyrie would have the ball to kind of do Kyrie things, they put the ball in Cooper’s hands. Cooper was making plays, man. Cooper was making some plays.”
Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is averaging 26.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists through 5 games. Later in the segment, Mannix said he was not sure the Mavericks would win enough games but that Flagg would be an All-Star-level player this season.
Dallas (4-2) hosts Sacramento on Monday at 7 p.m. CT. The Mavericks visit Detroit on Jan. 14 and host the Pistons on Jan. 29, 13 days before the deadline, which falls Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. CT.
