Kyrie Irving to be shut down for season even if cleared to play, per report

Rival executives believe the Dallas Mavericks will shut down Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season, even if he’s cleared to return.

The Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving might not step foot on an NBA court this season.

According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, rival executives believe Irving is set to be shut down for the remainder of the season, as the Mavericks will most likely not push for potential play-in contention and may instead focus on tanking the rest of the season.

“Irving remains a key part of the Mavs’ plans, but it is uncertain if he will play at all this season. The popular opinion of rival executives is that the Mavs, who are seventh in the lottery standings with a 19–34 record, would be wise to put Irving’s return on hold until training camp, even if he’s cleared to return this season,” McMahon reports.

The 33-year-old Irving notably sustained a torn left ACL last March and was expected to return by the middle of the 2025–26 season.

When healthy last season, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 50 games with the Mavericks.

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