Mavericks have a surprising reason to root for Kyrie Irving to dominate

The Dallas Mavericks are an interesting case this season. On one hand, this team is still far away from being a title contender, as the playoffs are probably even a bit of a reach as constructed. On the other hand, this group packs way too much talent to just bottom out and loiter in the lottery range anew.

One big reason for that is the return of All-Star guard Kyrie Irving after more than a year-long absence. Arguably the biggest remnant of the Luka Doncic era, he is now playing the role of sidekick to Cooper Flagg, although that may not be the case for long.

The Mavericks have a good reason to root for Kyrie Irving to maximize his trade value

No one knows what Irving could look like after his long sabbatical due to his ACL tear, but even if he fares well, it is not a guarantee that the Mavericks will remain committed to him as part of their team. After all, he simply does not fit the timeline of Flagg and the young core.

As a result, being a trade chip will ultimately be the fate of Irving this season. In fact, as NBA insider Jake Fischer reported, if the nine-time All-Star gives teams sufficient reason to believe that he is still an All-Star- caliber player, the Mavericks are likely to get trade offers they will not be able to refuse.

If true, that is good news for Dallas. After all, even if Irving remains a top talent, there are valid concerns about his possible market value due to his age and track record of injuries. 

Now, the Mavericks have not yet shown any firm indications that they are warming up to the idea of trading Irving. But if they do go that route, they are perfectly set up to maximize his trade value. After all, he is still a very big part of this team.