Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving last played in a game on March 3 against the Sacramento Kings. He suffered a torn ACL during that game and has not played since.
With the 2025-26 NBA season on the horizon, there are many people wondering when he is going to get into game action. He will most likely not be ready for the start of the season. With this being the case, D'Angelo Russell will most likely be the starting point guard for Dallas. When Irving does return, he will very well be the starting point guard.
Kyrie Irving's Return Could Be in January for the Dallas Mavericks
Michael C. Wright of espn.com has one big question for the Mavericks entering the 2025-26 season. The question is, "When does Kyrie Irving return, and how soon can he get back to form?" He followed up his question and answered,
"Irving provided a glimmer of hope for Mavericks fans in September when he told TMZ his rehabilitation from a torn ACL is going "incredibly well." So, there's optimism for a potential Irving return as soon as January. In the meantime, Dallas needs to find a way to position itself for ideal conditions upon Irving's return. To do that, Anthony Davis, who is back from offseason eye surgery, needs to carry the Mavericks on both ends of the court. The development of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg will be key, too, as coach Jason Kidd plans to put the ball in the rookie's hands often."
It would be good if he did return to the court by January. He is going to be an important piece for this team if they are going to make the playoffs and make a run. During the 2024-25 season, Irving played in 50 games. He averaged 24.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 0.5 BPG, and 1.3 SPG. The star point guard also shot 47.3% from the field.
When he does return, it is going to be interesting to see if head coach Jason Kidd will have him on a minutes restriction or not. There is a chance that he could only play 25 minutes a night when he first returns to game action. After that, hopefully Irving will get off the restriction. He is 33 years old and has been injury prone throughout his NBA career.
More NBA News:
- Rockets trade pitch targets 19.3 PPG scorer to replace Fred VanVleet
- Warriors agree to new deal with De'Anthony Melton ahead of 2025-26 season
- Stephen Curry breaks silence on Jonathan Kuminga's contract drama
- Quentin Grimes' future in Philadelphia gets a new twist amid contract stalemate
- Bruce Brown reflects on return to Nuggets ahead of 2025-26 campaign