After missing the entirety of last season due to an ACL injury, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is gearing up for his return to the court. For the 2024-2025 season, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists over 50 games.
Irving has no physical restrictions heading into Mavericks training camp. There is a possibility that the 34-year-old will be active for preseason action, with the team’s opener taking place against the Houston Rockets.
While Irving has still not had a chance to team up with Cooper Flagg in an official NBA game, there is ongoing speculation that the 9-time All-Star could be moved prior to February’s deadline. NBA insider Jake Fischer suggested that two potential landing spots for Irving are the Rockets and an Eastern Conference team.
“I haven’t heard Houston is looking at Kyrie Irving right now, but the past connections with Ime Udoka, the past connections with Kevin Durant, the fact that the Rockets certainly needed point guard play last year… That spot, [and] Miami, with their point guard depth are the early, early, early spots that people around the league are looking at as potential Kyrie Irving trade destinations.”
The Fit
The Rockets’ backcourt depth consists of Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Marcus Smart, Reed Sheppard, and Bruce Thornton. VanVleet is anticipated to return to his role as Houston’s starting point guard, shifting the multi-positional Thompson over to the shooting guard position.
Although VanVleet is on track to start on Opening Night, his scoring volume decreased to 14.1 points per game for the 2024-2025 season, and he is nearly five years removed from his last All-Star selection. Irving would be a clear offensive upgrade in this regard, and Sheppard has made a strong case for a rotational promotion.
With the 38-year-old Kevin Durant holding a player option for the 2027-2028 season, as well as Thompson and Alperen Sengun continuing to elevate their respective ceilings, there should be a sense of urgency for the Rockets to maximize their championship window in 2027. Irving fits well into this win-now timeline, despite not being considered a long-term option at this point in his career.
Whether the Rockets should make a trade offer for Irving ultimately comes down to the pieces involved. VanVleet, Steven Adams, and light draft compensation might be a reasonable pitch from Houston’s front office, while Durant, Sengun, and Thompson should all remain untouchable at the moment.
