Kyrie Irving and his season is officially over, with the Dallas Mavericks confirming the veteran guard will miss the remainder of the year as he continues his recovery from knee surgery, shifting the focus firmly toward a return in the 2026–27 campaign.
Irving has not appeared this season after undergoing surgery last March to repair a torn left ACL. The Mavericks said Wednesday that the nine-time All-Star is progressing well, but there will be no rush to get him back on the floor.
“Kyrie is making steady progress in rehabilitation and will remain actively engaged with the team through the remainder of the season,” the Mavericks said in a statement.
Irving’s agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, reinforced that patience is the priority as her client works his way back.
“This is about Kyrie being one thousand percent when he comes back and giving himself the best chance to chase a championship next season,” Riley Irving told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
In a personal statement, he made it clear the decision to sit out was difficult but necessary.
“This decision wasn’t easy, but it’s the right one,” Irving said. “I am grateful for the Mavericks organization, my teammates and our fans for their continued support throughout the process. I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season. The belief and drive I have inside only grows.
“And I wanted to send a huge shoutout to ALL of my brothers and sisters out there who’ve torn their ACL or gotten injured doing what they love to do every day. THANK YOU for the inspiration. No fear!”
While Irving will not play again this season, there is still hope he could return to practice before the year ends.
Dallas remains optimistic Irving could get on the court in a limited capacity, helping him begin building chemistry with top rookie Cooper Flagg.
The 33-year-old also missed the final 20 games of last season after suffering the injury.
READ MORE: Lakers Keep the Door Open for LeBron James Despite Rumors