When the Timberwolves’ season had ended, Anthony Edwards claimed they do not need another star in addition besides him to compete next season. Yet, according to Scoop B. Robinson, the NBA insider, the Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving is now on the radar for two teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets.
As per Robinson’s sources, Anthony Edwards is privately advocating with intensity to the front office to trade for a healthy Kyrie Irving. Meanwhile, the Rockets are also keeping close tabs on Irving’s situation in Dallas. Kyrie Irving has suddenly found himself among trade rumors, even after the Mavericks ownership’s previous claims that they want to see Irving and Cooper Flagg play together.
Irving currently has two seasons remaining in his contract, where he is set to earn $39.5 million in 2026-27 and has a $42.4 million player option for 2027-28.
A key factor that brought Irving to Dallas was his comfortable relationship with Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison, both of whom are no longer with the team. Moreover, he came to play alongside a star player like Luka Doncic, and after he left, both Kidd and Harrison played a role in making Irving believe in the vision of the future of the Mavericks.
Hence, with Kidd and Harrison both now gone, Irving is bound to reconsider his future on a team that is rebuilding around Cooper Flagg and could be years away from contending for a championship. Hence, the anticipation arises that Kyrie Irving may want out of Dallas.
The Mavericks’ guard tore his left ACL in March 2025 during the playoffs last season and missed the entire 2025-26 season, sidelined and in rehabilitation. However, at age 34, coming back to his 100% after arguably the worst injury a basketball player can face will certainly take time.
Therefore, he could also realistically consider staying with a rebuilding team like the Mavericks as a veteran teammate to a potential superstar in Flagg, to take the time to find his prime self once again, without the pressure of winning expectations right from the first tipoff.
In the 2024-25 season, before he injured himself in March, he was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.1% from beyond the arc. While there is no guarantee that after one year sidelined with injury, he would still play at an All-Star level, he would certainly be a crucial addition to any team that needs to propel to championship contention.
The Timberwolves lacked a true playmaking point guard, and their weakness got exposed in the 2026 NBA playoffs, where they only had Mike Conley as a true point guard, and he’s nearing the end of his career. So they need a solid two-way guard alongside their superstar Anthony Edwards, and Kyrie Irving would honestly be a good fit with him.
Meanwhile, the Rockets also have the same hole in their roster as they are also reportedly considering restructuring Fred VanVleet’s contract, who missed the entire 2025-26 season due to an ACL injury, just like Kyrie Irving’s.
Moreover, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are close friends, have great chemistry as former teammates, and could play a role in bringing Irving potentially to Houston. If they are able to include VanVleet in a potential package for Irving, it will certainly be an upgrade for the Rockets.
