Mark Cuban explains Shams Charania’s surprising role in Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving trade

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets during the 2022-23 NBA season. Irving joined Luka Doncic in Dallas, giving the Mavs one of the best duos in the league. While speaking on a recent podcast, Mark Cuban revealed Shams Charania’s surprising role in the Irving trade as well as Irving’s contract extension, via Semafor.

“Shams was my guy… He was a big help with us getting Kyrie, when we traded for Kyrie,” Cuban said. “And for us extending him when we extended, because he had a great relationship with Kyrie’s agent.”

Charania, an NBA insider for ESPN, apparently played a role in the situation. Irving has since become the face of the Mavericks, as Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers before the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline.

Irving is currently recovering from ACL surgery. He could return in early 2026 if no setbacks occur. The 33-year-old is still one of the best players in the NBA.

In 2024-25 — before suffering the ACL injury — Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per outing while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from deep. His first full season with the Mavs was in 2023-24 — when Dallas reached the NBA Finals. It was a special campaign without question.

The Kyrie Irving trade has been important to say the least. Mavericks fans are happy to have Irving on the roster. With Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson in Dallas, perhaps the Mavs will be able to make a championship run within the next year or two. They will be a team worth closely monitoring this season, especially once Irving returns from his ACL surgery recovery.

Mark Cuban, who is now a minority owner of the Mavericks, will certainly have his attention on the team as Dallas moves forward after the shocking Luka Doncic trade.