When Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear last March, everyone knew the star point guard would miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season. As the year progressed, the timeline for recovery became blurry and as the Dallas Mavericks sank more rapidly, the expectation was that he would not play at all until the next campaign. The team officially signed Irving on Wednesday, a move that fans are extremely appreciative of.
Mavs head coach Jason Kidd explained exclusively why the 2016 NBA champions will be inactive for the remainder of the season.
"Long-term health," he said, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. "We want to make sure he's ready for next season... In practice, some of the things he's been working on have looked good. I think as we get into March and April, we want him to keep moving in the right direction. With the decision he's made, we're thinking about his health long-term and us staying healthy next season."
Mavericks hoping to make a strong comeback next season
Dallas clearly doesn't want Irving to return for the final round of a losing campaign and potentially cause a blowout or inadvertently harm the franchise's draft position. The Mavericks have had a rough year as they navigate their way into the post-Luka Doncic era. Spectacular rookie Cooper Flagg ensures that Dallas can return to the upside at some point soon, but he could definitely use some more help.
A premium draft pick in a loaded class could give the Mavs one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Kyrie Irving also benefits from this. The 33-year-old knows he has limited time to win a second ring. He's still a high-level scorer, but taking on larger offensive responsibilities on a nightly basis seems impractical, especially after a major injury. A rising flag and a potential top-five pick might take the load off a bit.
However, due to the young talent on this roster, Irving will still be an extremely important component of the Mavericks for the next two seasons. However, he cannot play that role until he is healthy. The future Hall of Famer now has an additional 200-plus days to recover.
