The Miami Heat looks good on paper to kickstart the 2025-26 season. The addition of two-time MVP and former champion Giannis Antetokounmpo was a significant step toward contention.
Several backcourt stars have been speculated to move to South Beach, but the Heat hasn’t been successful. One name is Kyrie Irving, who could well be the longest shot of any target.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Mavs are not hiding their stance on keeping their star guard for the upcoming season.
“They’ve turned down multiple trade inquiries for him this summer,” Siegel said. “There were a ton of teams … that wanted to make a trade for Kyrie Irving. Dallas is not wanting to trade him, they made that very clear. They want to see what he looks like on this team next to Cooper Flagg before they make a decision.”
Irving is still a significant earner and his salary alone should be enough to deter the Heat. However, given how the franchise acquired Antetokounmpo, they are not shy of making swings.
Miami Heat-Kyrie Irving Possible Trade May Face Snag
Dallas did endure a poor last season, but that was on the back of consistent playoff appearances. Of course, Luka Doncic had a hand in most parts, but the main observation is that they still have postseason ambitions.
Irving, 34, presents the Mavs’ strongest shot at being back in the playoffs. Alongside last season’s Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, it is an almost no-brainer that the franchise is fully committed to seeing the duo lead the team.
Irving is set to return from a season-long absence after fully recovering from his ACL injury. That doesn’t make him dispensable, and the new-look Mavs front office led by Masai Ujiri certainly feels the same way about the veteran star guard.
There is always an opportunity before the deadline. (After all, the Doncic trade happened before the trade deadline.) Irving and Flagg must be promising; otherwise, the Mavs could be forced to trade Irving now that there would be a chance for a move.
But it means that any interest in Irving will come down to patience, which contending teams do have.
“Nothing has really changed on that front since the offseason started,” Siegel added. “So another wait-and-see opportunity around the league.”
Waiting for the deadline has its pros and cons. The Heat could eliminate games needed for Irving to gain full sharpness but it would be with limited time to gel ahead of the postseason. Trades at the deadline are sometimes complicated and Miami could end up missing out entirely.
If a player like Irving enters the market, the interest would not only start and end with South Beach.
Irving’s Addition May Have to Wait
Getting a high-impact backcourt star next to Antetokounmpo is a recipe for success. It so happens that Irving is the perfect addition for that. He is a top-level scorer, one of the elites among guards in the league. He is also a top creator and shooting option.
Only time will tell if the Mavs’ position on Irving will change. However, the Heat could be at the forefront should there be a new development.
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