Proposed Trade Sends Kyrie Irving To Detroit Pistons
The Dallas Mavericks say they want to see how the team looks with the nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving pairing up with Rookie of the Year phenom Cooper Flagg. But with the future centered on building around the 19-year-old Flagg, how much longer will the 34-year-old Irving be around?
The veteran is much more suited to a team looking for one big move to make them a serious championship contender. A team that needs a legit shot creator and scorer to take the pressure off their superstar. A team, perhaps, like the Detroit Pistons.
With that, Miles Irvin of Pistons On SI has proposed the following 3-team deal that would send Kyrie to join forces with Cade Cunningham in Detroit.
Detroit Pistons receive:
- Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks receive:
- Ron Holland II
- Jerami Grant
- 2027 first-round pick
- 2029 first-round pick
Memphis Grizzlies receive:
- Duncan Robinson
- Caleb Martin
- Paul Reed
- Tolu Smith
- 2027 Pistons second-round pick
Irvin writes, "For the Detroit Pistons to take another step forward, they need to acquire a true co-star for Cade Cunningham. While the Pistons had a phenomenal 60-win regular season, their flaws were shown in the playoffs." Particularly on the offensive end. Scoring was difficult to come by outside of Cunningham.
Granted, Irving missed all of 2025-26 with an ACL injury, so how he'll look in a season in which he'll turn 35 after a full year off remains to be seen. But the Pistons need to take a swing for a star, and this could be it.
As for the Mavs, they "need to focus on re-acquiring the draft assets that they lost during the Luka Doncic era," writes Irvin. "In my opinion, that’s a match made in heaven for both sides, with Dallas needing future assets, and Detroit looking for an experienced star."
In addition to the two first-rounders, the Mavs would also get a recent 5th-overall pick in Holland. All of that fits Flagg's timeline.
And Kyrie as a second fiddle has worked wonders in the past. He was LeBron James's sidekick when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 title, and Irving was No. 2 to Luka when the Mavs went to the Finals in 2024. Being Cunningham's running mate would work in Detroit.
Where do the Grizzlies come in?
They could chip in a potential 20-point scorer to help keep the Mavs afloat, what with the new no-tanking rules. And in return for their troubles, Memphis would get off of the $70M owed Grant over the next two years, while getting some other roster pieces to help fill in around their growing young core.