Kyrie Irving injury updates are hard to come by these days.
The Dallas Mavericks wanted to make it clear earlier in the season that there wasn’t a definitive timeline for his return during the 2025-2026 NBA season. That was the right play, considering where the Mavs are at this year.
It’s simple: Dallas has upside with its top pick Cooper Flagg, but they are not competitive. At this stage of the season, Irving might’ve hoped to return to a playoff-ready team, but that wouldn’t be the case. The Mavericks are 19-34, and potentially entering the All-Star break on a nine-game losing streak, depending on the outcome of Thursday’s action against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rival Executives Have an Opinion
ESPN’s Tim McMahon laid out the popular opinion across the league: Irving should consider taking the year off.
“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 wrote.
Irving is turning 34 in march. Coming back from a torn ACL to play meaningless basketball is a major risk. Ultimately, the decision will be up to the star guard, who hasn’t spoken on his plans in quite some time.
Next month will mark one year since Irving underwent surgery. Soon after, the Mavericks could be finished the season, as they weren’t nearly as competitive as they planned to be. While the season just might turn out to be a dud, after trading away the injured Anthony Davis, it seems that Irving still has a future with the franchise.
Dallas will surely look forward to the official linking of Irving and the team’s No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, soon enough.
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