The Dallas Mavericks will have to do without Kyrie Irving for the long term. The nine-time All Star will not play a single game this season and is not aiming to make his comeback until the 2026/27 season.
Kyrie Irving will miss the entire current season. The 33-year-old is still in rehabilitation following surgery on his left knee (torn cruciate ligament) in March 2025.
The Mavericks announced that Irving is making “steady progress” but is not expected to return until the 2026/27 season. According to his agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, the goal is to be “1,000 percent ready” to come back strong next year. In a statement, Irving himself said that the decision was not an easy one, but it was the right one. He wants to come back stronger and thanked the organization, his teammates, and fans for their support.
Chemistry with Cooper Flagg?
Despite the long downtime, according to ESPN, there is optimism that Irving could at least return to team training during the season. The goal would be to build up initial plays with rookie prospect Cooper Flagg and slowly get used to the pace of the game again.
Irving had already missed the last 20 games of the previous season. Since his move to Dallas in the 2022/23 season, the differences have been clear: with Irving in the rotation, the Mavericks are 75-53, without him only 42-75.