The Dallas Mavericks could surely use a boost from their star guard, Kyrie Irving.
Unfortunately, Irving’s timetable for a return appears to be behind closed doors still. In early January, there hasn’t been a detailed update revealed by the team, and ESPN’s Tim McMahon recently revealed an alarming update based on the information he gathered.
“Based on what I'm hearing, Kyrie is not coming back before the trade deadline,” McMahon said on Howdy Partners.
The insider went on to add that he’s not even sure that Kyrie is going to play this season.
“I know he wants to,” McMahon said of Irving. “We'll see if that's in his best interest. We'll see if it's in the franchise's best interest. Those are things that need to be sorted out.”
Irving tore his ACL during a March 3 matchup against the Sacramento Kings last season. While he has shown a lot of progress in short clips on social media throughout the offseason and into the 2025-2026 NBA season, Irving and the Mavericks made it clear that there isn’t a target date for his return in place.
When Irving is ready, he will work with the team on a careful plan to get him back on the floor without further risking another setback.
At 33, Irving can’t gamble on his health. He remains a core piece for the Mavericks, and they need him to be as consistent as possible with his availability. If that means waiting a little longer than anticipated, then Dallas’ club will accept that.
Of course, the Mavs could use Irving’s help right about now. They currently sit 11th in the Western Conference with a 14-24 record. Over their last 10 games, they have just three wins.
The future of Anthony Davis is unclear, and the team would like to see Irving and Davis get on the floor together before they make any further franchise-altering decisions. Those answers don’t seem to be coming anytime soon.