Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[Nowitzki Way]

One additional thought here: 

IF the Mavs take Young back, and I really hope they don't, I think it's more likely they're able to find a home for Kyrie Irving in another deal than Young. I think I'd have to be ready to think that way if I made this deal. You absolutely cannot have them both on the team next year, because even if you convinced one to come off the bench, there's really no way to play them together, even for 5 minutes per game. One of their roles is going to be TINY.

I think a Kyrie trade becomes more likely if you trade AD anyway, regardless if a player like young is brought in.   I love Kyrie. Love watching him play for my team. I absolutely want him on this team. But honestly why keep him if we're tradiing AD and going directly with Flagg's timeline as a 19 year old?

Say some form of this trade goes down with AD to Atlanta.  Ignore the big salary whether it be KP or Trae. The big asset will be Risacher and maybe Newell. And probably a pick next in 2026.

So at the start of next season you have Flagg at 19, Risacher 20, Newell 20, Lively 21, Christie 22 and 2 lottery picks in the 26 draft.   Why have a 34 year old Kyrie? Same goes for Klay.

Makes you wonder if we need to keep P.J., Gafford, Naji.   I can see the AD trade being the beginning of a huge teardown to get directly on the Flagg timeline.  Even if AD and maybe Klay is this year. Kyrie, P.J. etc is next off season.