Kyrie Irving‘s recovery from a season-ending ACL injury has been one of the main talking points for the Dallas Mavericks heading into the upcoming season. While there were concerns about delays in recovery, Irving showed that he was well ahead of schedule.
Recently, the nine-time All-Star was seen resuming on-court activities at a facility in New York City. Although limited to non-contact shooting and finishing drills, his movement alone presented an increasingly positive outlook for recovery.
KYRIE IRVING YEAR 15 LOADING… 🤩 pic.twitter.com/er6cPr2Ymt
— Overtime (@overtime) August 31, 2025
While there is still a long way to go before he is match fit, fans were excited to see Irving’s progress. Several shared hyped reactions to his training clips on X.
“You’re watching a master at work,” stated one user.
“We really do need Kyrie’s magic this season,” added another.
“Hope he comes back as good as he was,” shared a fan, concerned about the guard’s health.
“No reason to rush,” said another, cautious about his progress.
One fan seemed rather optimistic about the recovery process, claiming, “I’d bet a lot of money he’s back before Christmas.”
Another responded, “I think he’s back fast too, but I also think you’d lose a lot of money on that bet. After the All-Star break timing is perfect.”
Meanwhile, another remained hopeful, stating, “I can see him back by January or February.”
“My boy finna be back soon,” shared one user, hyped about the guard’s potential return.
Another fan used former NBA player Derrick Rose as a cautionary tale and said, “The way Kyrie moves, you don’t want to rush him back. They rushed DRose back, and look what happened.”
“They need him fresh for the playoffs, so no rush. The roster should be good enough to stay in the 5-8 range until then,” acknowledged another user.
Recovering from an ACL injury typically takes up to a year. When considering Irving’s progress, it would be fair to say that he could be ahead of schedule. But the Mavericks would be advised to be very cautious at this stage.
It goes without saying that Irving will be an integral part of the rotation once he makes a full recovery. Given the team’s lineup, with Irving at full strength, Dallas could realistically be viewed as a title contender in the West. But this would require the guard to sustain his form and health for the postseason as well.
At the current juncture, the Mavericks have made adjustments to their roster to maintain stability even in Irving’s absence. By signing D’Angelo Russell and bringing back Dante Exum, Dallas has shored up its backcourt rotation.
Although it’s unfair to expect the two to match Irving’s production, their role would be to facilitate the offense for other key players. With stars like Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, along with the rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks will look to the rest of their main rotation to contribute and keep them competitive.
