Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is reportedly expected to return from his torn ACL in the middle of the 2025-26 season.
“Kyrie Irving’s return, that’s the big question now,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said Wednesday on NBA Countdown. “The expectation around the Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving is that he will play a good chunk of next season, and there’s optimism that he will be back for the Mavericks by January, and he’s got before that a $44 million player option.
“That’s the next situation that Nico Harrison, the Mavericks will have to deal with, and the goal for the Mavericks has been to rip up his player option and give him a three-year deal, potentially to align him with Nico Harrison’s three years and Anthony Davis’ three years.”
Irving’s injury was part of what has largely been a season to forget for the Mavericks.
He, Davis and Dereck Lively II have all missed significant time with injuries, while the fabric of the team changed in shocking fashion when Harrison traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Irving’s injury came shortly after that trade, which only added to the sense of disappointment for this season.
Still, Dallas will make the playoffs if it wins Wednesday’s play-in tournament game against the Sacramento Kings and then defeats the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Doing so without Irving will be easier said than done, although at least Davis is back in the lineup.
Realistically, the focus should be on next season for the Mavericks.
If they can add an impact player or two alongside Irving and Davis, they can once again be legitimate threats in the Western Conference even without Dončić. Having Irving healthy is a major part of that formula, and Charania’s report suggests he will be back well before the stretch run in the playoff race.
Irving is one of the best guards of his generation with a resume that includes a championship, nine All-Star nods, a Rookie of the Year and three All-NBA selections. He will be the leader of the team’s backcourt once he does return, especially since Dončić is no longer on the roster.
And that return is expected in January.
