Mavericks moving on from Kyrie Irving has logical end point around Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks have already moved on from Anthony Davis.

Will Kyrie Irving be next? The Mavs certainly view their future as being around Cooper Flagg, not Irving.

There might be a logical separation point coming.

The NBA is looking to expand, with Las Vegas and Seattle on the table. And if that happens, an expansion draft will come next.

Each team can protect a certain amount of players in an expansion draft, but given Irving's age and injury history, if such a proceeding comes around in the next couple years, Irving very likely wouldn't be protected.

He'd still have enough talent to be a high pick in such an expansion draft.

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The Sporting News' Stephen Noh wrote in a new mock expansion draft that Davis would go with the first pick, Joel Embiid second and Irving third.

That would pair AD back up with Kyrie.

"The Mavs will hopefully be looking to compete in deeper playoff runs around Cooper Flagg by this point," Noh wrote. "Irving may be worth keeping around, but the history of guards who suffer ACL tears at such a late age aren't great. More likely, they'll be willing to part with Irving for a younger lead guard."

Dallas has traveled a weird timeline in recent years, including the Luka Doncic trade and the lucky lottery that landed them Flagg.

Now that they have Flagg, though, they have to get it right.

Paying an aging, injury-prone guard a lot of money may not be the best option by the time the expansion draft rolls around. And that could lead to Irving being gone.

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