Irving is measuring the next few years by more than longevity

What changed

Kyrie Irving is not setting a retirement date, but he is drawing a distinction between loving basketball and wanting every part of NBA life indefinitely.

After Monday’s practice, the 34-year-old said competition still drives him while the schedule, preparation, media environment and wider pressures around the league shape how he views the next few years. He said he does not envision playing in the NBA at 42 or 43.

That is perspective, not an announcement. Irving begins the season under contract with Dallas and is scheduled to play Wednesday in Houston, his first regular-season appearance since the March 2025 ACL injury.

For the Mavericks, the immediate story remains his return. The longer view is that Dallas should use the healthy seasons in front of it deliberately while Cooper Flagg and the rest of the young core grow beside him.