A blockbuster trade idea sending Kyrie Irving from the Dallas Mavericks to the Toronto Raptors was created by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report.
Buckley proposed the following trade idea between the Mavericks and Raptors:
Toronto Raptors receive: Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks receive: Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter and a 2028 first-round pick (top-five protected)
This trade idea pairs Irving with fellow All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes in Toronto, while the Mavericks get a young point guard (Quickley) and combo guard (Walter) for Cooper Flagg, the new face of the Dallas franchise in the post-Luka Dončić era.
Buckley Explains His Trade Idea
Irving tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025. He missed last season but is ready to go for next season and Buckley thinks Irving can help the Raptors win the 2027 championship.
“A healthy Irving would be an immediate and immense upgrade and perhaps the addition that could seal Toronto’s spot among the East’s elite. That’s just too rich a prize to pass up at this price,” Buckley wrote.
Many people in the NBA believe Irving, 34, is better suited to play for a contender at this stage of his career. The Mavericks, who traded Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 season, missed the playoffs in 2025 and 2026.
Despite having Flagg, who won the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year award, Dallas isn’t guaranteed to make the playoffs next season, which is why Buckley believes the franchise should trade Irving sooner rather than later and get value in return for the veteran guard.
“There is risk in making this move, just like there is risk with any trade,” Buckley wrote. “There is also risk in not trading away Irving and seeing his stock fall further. This might be the right point, then, for the Mavs to fully split from their past and more clearly align this roster around the reigning Rookie of the Year.”
Quickley is 27. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 assists per game last season. Meanwhile, Walter is 21. He put up 7.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Both Quickley and Walter fit the Flagg timeline better than Irving does.
However, the odds of this trade idea happening are very, very low.
Mavericks Want To Keep Irving
Several contenders are interested in trading for Irving, but the Mavericks have made it known to interested teams that they want to keep Irving next to Flagg, sources told Dallas Sports Journal.
Irving and Flagg have a strong relationship, sources said. Flagg received consistent, valuable mentorship from Irving last season even though Kyrie didn’t play, sources said.
Irving will make $39.5 million next season. The Mavericks acquired the future Hall of Famer from the Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 season.
The 2011-12 Rookie of the Year, Irving enters next season with career averages of 23.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in the regular season and 23.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in the playoffs. The 2016 NBA champion averaged 24.7 points and 4.6 assists per game during the 2024-25 season before tearing his ACL.
