Mike Schmitz's belief in Kyrie Irving's commitment indicates that Dallas doesn’t have to worry about finding another piece alongside Cooper Flagg. Now, the front office is revealing the drive of the veteran before he returns to the floor.

Irving missed an entire season, but his focus inside the team facility is not lost. On Friday, May 29, Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz spoke with reporters at a roundtable inside the American Airlines Center. 

According to a post by X user Grant Afseth, Schmitz shut down any thought of moving the player. “I think it’s the body of work. I think it’s his approach to the game. Seeing him almost daily around the facility, completely locked in to everything we’re doing, it’s been really impressive to see,” Schmitz said. 

Rival executives and media members openly questioned whether a 34-year-old Irving fits next to a 19-year-old Cooper Flagg. They wondered if it made sense to build a roster around Flagg right now.

Schmitz rejected that idea. He pointed out what the staff sees every single morning inside the gym. “Being around that every day, combined with everything he’s done to get to this point, gives us a ton of optimism alongside his fit with Cooper,” Schmitz explained. 

Irving himself backed up this message later that night. During a Twitch stream, Irving updated about his recovery process and shared his excitement to join Dallas soon. 

Both the front office and the player are on the same page. Schmitz added even more context to the guard's daily routine. He noted that he is doing everything "humanly possible" to recover. 

The Mavericks view him as the solution to their roster issues, rather than just a trade asset to flip for draft picks. 

Why Dallas Believes the Partnership Can Transform the Franchise

Schmitz noted the guard's "body of work speaks for itself." The veteran is a nine-time All-Star and an NBA champion. He holds a proven track record of finding success as both a main scoring option and a trusted co-star.

Before ACL injury in March 2025, Irving was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 50 games during the 2024-25 season. 

Meanwhile, Flagg finished a historic Rookie of the Year campaign. The forward posted 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He also became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. 

The connection between the two players is already strong. Flagg shared how Irving helped him mentally survive a difficult rookie season. As a former No. 1 overall pick and Duke star himself, Irving provided guidance that nobody else could offer. 

Dallas needs this partnership to work after a rough stretch of basketball. The team finished with a 39-43 record in 2024-25. Things got much worse when they fell apart with a 26-56 record in 2025-26.

The general manager stated he is "super excited" and looking forward to watching them share the floor. The franchise will build its 2026-27 season around the combination of Flagg and Irving. 

Does this veteran and rookie duo have enough to lead Dallas into the playoff fight?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Souvik Roy