The NBA offseason continues to heat up with trade rumors and potential moves. Kendrick Perkins shared his thoughts on Kyrie Irving's future with the Dallas Mavericks, and he received backlash for his take.
Pat McAfee asked the ESPN analyst if he believes Irving will remain with the Mavericks next season. Perkins said he would, but he expects opposing teams to bid for Irving's services before the February trade deadline.
"I don't expect him to be on the Mavericks come trade deadline," Perkins said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I expect somebody to go out there (and) pursue Kyrie. I expect the Minnesota or Detroit Pistons to get aggressive."
Fans did not hold back on Perkins after hearing his take on Irving's future in Dallas.
“Perk doesn’t know ball. Kyrie isnt going anywhere,” one user reacted.
“Such a lazy take, just look at rosters. Kyrie isn’t going anywhere. Especially not those teams as they don’t have assets to give Dallas anything of value in return… cmon Perk,” a comment read.
“Does Kendrick Perkins actually have sources or is he just saying this?” one fan wrote.
“Nobody asked you perk how many times does the Mavs GM have to say he keeping Kyrie?” posted another.
“Brainless take. Mavs aren’t really paying anyone of importance long term yet. They can pay Kyrie as long as he wants to stay. Ppl underestimate Kyrie importance behind the scenes teaching the kids. You can tell by how the youngins speak about him,” a reaction read.
“lol dude has no clue,” another fan commented.
Irving sustained a torn ACL on March 3, 2025, against the Sacramento Kings. The team ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign, and he missed the entire 2025-26 season.
Dallas opted to prioritize his long-term health rather than rushing a return. He is on track to return for the start of 2026-27.
The 34-year-old is a one-time NBA champion, nine-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA team member. He is one of the most exciting players when healthy, and has showcased his clutch genes throughout his career.
Irving's return will be a huge boost to the Mavericks, who are coming off a 26-56 campaign. Cooper Flagg won the Rookie of the Year award, and the team drafted Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9 overall on Tuesday. The young duo will learn a lot from Irving's experience and knowledge, setting the franchise up for more success.
