Dallas Mavericks president Masai Ujiri just put an end to all the offseason chatter, making it crystal clear the team is sticking with veteran point guard Kyrie Irving. Despite trade rumors swirling around Irving during the offseason, Ujiri came right out on the Hoop Collective podcast and said the Mavs “truly believe in” him. That’s a statement, man.
“Truly Believe In Him”: Dallas Is All In on Kyrie
Ujiri didn’t mince words. He said, and I quote, “Kyrie, as a player, we truly believe in him. We truly believe that he can succeed on our team.” That’s a strong endorsement from the top, especially after several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, reportedly showed interest in acquiring Irving. This isn’t just lip service. The Mavs sound like they want Kyrie right there to usher in a new era under their new head coach, Dusty May. Ujiri even doubled down, adding, “I truly believe that, if we have the right players playing, we can really grow as a team in a new system with Dusty (May) and a new culture that we’re trying to build.” It’s a new vibe in Dallas, and it looks like Kyrie is central to it.
Irving’s Veteran Presence Key to Growth Year
Now, let’s talk about Kyrie himself. The dude is 34, and yeah, he missed the entire 2025-26 campaign because of a torn ACL. That’s rough. But you can’t forget what he did when he *was* healthy. In his last full season, he was putting up serious numbers: 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. That’s still a highly productive player. Dallas isn’t necessarily saying they’re competing for a championship this year. Instead, the focus is on a “year of growth” as Cooper Flagg progresses and Coach May gets settled. Having a veteran with championship experience like Kyrie on the floor can absolutely help expedite that rebuild, guiding the young guys and setting the tone. His presence is clearly something Dallas isn’t ready to trade away.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply