Yet another reunion of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? The league is not ready! The Houston Rockets have the pieces to compete in a crowded Western Conference. But adding another elite playmaker could take them to a different level. Kyrie Irving’s return to the Dallas Mavericks has already changed the outlook around the team, and his performances have attracted attention beyond Texas.
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One former NBA coach believes Houston should take advantage of the situation and make a serious move for the 34-year-old guard.
“Kyrie is making everybody on that team better,” said former NBA Coach of the Year and former Rockets player Sam Mitchell, featuring on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“Everybody thought this was gonna be a down year for Dallas with a young coach straight from college, with all these young players transitioning into building this team around Cooper. But nobody knew what Kyrie was gonna look like. Man, Kyrie looks better than he did before he got hurt.”
Mitchell argued that Irving could make the Rockets virtually unbeatable. He even suggested Dallas could receive two first-round picks for Irving, despite his age and injury history.
“You might could get two first-round picks for Kyrie. And that’s a lot for a 34-year-old injured point guard who missed all of last year with an injury. And I’m telling you right now, the Houston Rockets. You put him on the Houston Rockets, with the injuries and the rest of the West, it might be over. And they’ll clearly be the best team.”
The suggestion comes as Kyrie Irving has helped Dallas navigate a transition around young star Cooper Flagg.
The Mavericks have started 4-2 under their new head coach Dusty May, while Irving’s return has given the young roster an experienced offensive leader. Given the inexperience of the team’s core, everyone thought Kyrie’s last leg in prime would go in vain. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Mitchell believes that combination makes Irving valuable, but sees Houston as an even more dangerous destination.
The Rockets have a compelling basketball argument for pursuing him. But they need to hurry, as the hunt for Kyrie seems to have intensified.
Pairing Irving with Kevin Durant would reunite two former Brooklyn Nets teammates, while Alperen Şengün would give Houston another offensive option inside. Irving’s shot creation and late-game experience could also ease the burden on the team’s younger players.
However, they’re significant obstacles.
Kyrie Irving’s reported $39.4 million salary would require the Rockets to assemble matching contracts. With the Rockets already hovering near the second apron (with limited room under the aprons), it isn’t practically possible to accommodate him without making some adjustments.
Their collection of future first-round picks gives them potential trade ammunition. But draft assets alone do not make a deal straightforward.
The Rockets may have to give up pieces like Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr, and Tari Eason.
Kyrie Irving’s own commitment to Dallas is another complication.
He has expressed happiness with the Mavericks, and the organization has pushed back against outside trade speculation.
Mitchell has put the idea on the table, but there is no indication that Houston or Dallas is pursuing such a deal. For now, it is a hypothetical built around Irving’s resurgence.