The Detroit Pistons have been linked to Kyrie Irving for months. But their chances of landing the nine-time All-Star might be slipping away before the trade deadline.
The Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a surprisingly competitive team, and Irving’s partnership with Cooper Flagg is giving the franchise another reason to keep its veteran point guard.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Irving is increasingly unlikely to be traded as Dallas continues to outperform preseason expectations.
“All in all, I’d lean strongly toward Irving staying put at this point,” Amick wrote Friday, Nov. 13.
That development could complicate Detroit’s hopes of adding another established scorer alongside Cade Cunningham.
Detroit Previously Expressed Interest in Kyrie Irving Trade
Detroit’s interest in Irving isn’t new.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Pistons contacted Dallas about Irving’s availability during the offseason. The Minnesota Timberwolves also made inquiries.
However, Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri informed interested teams that Irving wasn’t available.
ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill subsequently reported in October that several Pistons staffers admired Irving’s scoring ability and experience playing alongside ball-dominant stars.
“And if Detroit has the stomach to go after it this year, they could go after someone like Kyrie Irving in Dallas,” Goodwill wrote.
Irving would address one of Detroit’s most pressing postseason concerns: finding another reliable shot creator who can take pressure off Cunningham.
The Pistons won 60 games last season but lost to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Their need for another offensive weapon remains apparent, even after an impressive 8-3 start.
Cunningham scored a career-high 52 points with 11 assists and no turnovers in Thursday’s 144-140 double-overtime victory over Washington.
But Dallas’ improvement could make Irving considerably harder to acquire.
Mavericks’ Strong Start Complicates Detroit’s Trade Hopes
The Mavericks entered Friday at 7-5 despite suffering a lopsided 133-94 loss to Minnesota on Thursday.
They have gone 7-3 with Irving in the lineup.
The 34-year-old is averaging 21.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds while shooting his way back into form following the ACL injury that cost him the entire 2025-26 season.
More importantly, his chemistry with Flagg, Dallas’ 19-year-old franchise cornerstone, has given the Mavericks reason to maintain their current direction.
Irving also appears committed to staying.
“I let the team know out of my own mouth that these trade rumors, anything that’s going on with me, do not let this infiltrate our locker room,” Irving told reporters Monday.
His contract remains a potential complication.
Irving holds a $42 million player option for the 2027-28 season, giving rival teams reason to monitor his future.
Still, Amick reported that Dallas’ continued success could make an Irving trade highly unlikely.
For Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, that could mean looking elsewhere for another scorer before February’s deadline.
Detroit has the young talent and draft assets to explore a major move.
Whether Irving ever becomes available, however, remains entirely in Dallas’ hands.
Pistons Get Bad News on Coveted Trade Target Amid New Development