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Kyrie Irving is the Dallas Mavericks’ top point guard when he’s on the floor.
Unfortunately, his 2025-2026 season debut remains on hold. As Irving recovers from a torn ACL, which he suffered nearly one year ago, the Mavericks are still patiently waiting for his return.
On Monday, it was revealed that Irving’s return isn’t solely in the hands of the medical staff. The veteran guard holds all of the cards in this situation.
“I’m told that the decision will be a collaborative one …with Irving given a strong say on his preference to either give himself more time to recover from the surgery or test himself in a few games this spring,” NBA Insider Marc Stein wrote on Monday.
On one hand, taking a full season off and prolonging the return until next season could leave Irving with plenty of rust when he’s ready to start making an impact for the Mavericks again. Plus, he won’t get any time to mesh with the rookie star, Cooper Flagg.
On the other hand, the Mavericks don’t look like a team that’s heading anywhere positive. At the All-Star break, they hold a 19-35 record, and are on a nine-game losing streak. The Mavs are 12th in the Western Conference.
They would need a major turnaround to get the 10th seed, locking in a spot for the NBA Play-In Tournament. Is it truly worth rolling out the veteran guard, further risking his health for an unlikely Play-In appearance? The Mavs would probably lean towards keeping Irving as healthy as possible. Ultimately, Irving will get a chance to make his final decision.
Irving appeared in 50 games last season for the Mavs. He posted averages of 24.7 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. He shot 47 percent from the field and knocked down 40 percent of his threes.
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