Kyrie Irving Trade is 'No. 1' Question for NBA Execs Talking to Mavs Insider amid Latest Rumors

The Dallas Mavericks are off to an impressive 4-2 start, but it sounds like the sharks are already circling to try and pry away one of their best players.

During Monday's episode of The Hoop Collective , ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Mavs star guard Kyrie Irving is one of the most talked-about names on the trade market this season.

A Kyrie Irving Trade to Elevate Eastern Conference Contender 🏀

"When I'm talking to executives and scouts around the league, when the Mavericks come up, it's the No. 1 thing people are asking me about," MacMahon said (11:38 mark).

At 34 years old, Irving is 15 years older than Mavs budding phenom Cooper Flagg. The duo combined for 68 points in a recent win over the Houston Rockets, with Irving leading the way with 35.

While Dallas is known to be rebuilding under first-year head coach Dusty May, the team's strong start has fueled hope for a potential playoff run this season.

MacMahon went on to explain that while Irving seemed like a top trade candidate entering this year, it will now take a lot to convince the Mavs to let him go.

"Going into this season, I would've said more likely than not he gets moved by the deadline, but I didn't feel super strongly about it," MacMahon said. "The more I see the team, the more I'm around the team, the more I think it's gonna be awfully hard to trade him. Not that there won't be a big market; there will be, but if they've got a chance to compete for a play-in, playoff spot, I just think it's gonna be really tough to move Kyrie."