Kyrie Irving‘s absence has been one of the major talking points of the Dallas Mavericks‘ offseason. While Irving has stated that there is no official timeline for return, with a 2-4 record to start the 2025-26 season, the Mavericks are in desperate need of their superstar guard.
Initial reports suggested that Irving would be back in action by January 2026, but Mavs head coach Jason Kidd seemed more optimistic about the nine-time All-Star’s timeline for return when speaking with The Athletic’s Christian Clark.
“We just can’t wait to get Kai back at some point,” Kidd said. “Hopefully it’s in the year ’25, not ’26. But we’ll see what happens.”
Kidd’s comment could be a huge boost in morale for Dallas, especially if it proves accurate. With only two months left in the calendar year, having Irving back in the rotation as soon as possible would be a significant advantage for the Mavericks.
Clark noted that Kidd has typically been hesitant to provide any update on Kyrie Irving, adding that his comments on the subject from the Mavs’ Media Day in September took a conservative tone. Hence, for the Mavs’ head coach to make a statement like this could only indicate promising things regarding the guard’s recovery journey.
Irving has been involved in non-contact drills as part of his rehabilitation from an ACL injury. While there could be more concerns about his overall game conditioning, the Mavs may use this time to ensure that the 33-year-old is fully prepared for his return.
Kyrie Irving Is Integral To The Mavericks’ Success This Season
Before the regular season began, several sources projected that the Dallas Mavericks would be one of the most formidable teams in the Western Conference. With some solid role players and a talented rookie in Cooper Flagg, the Mavs were headlined by the superstar duo of Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
For all intents and purposes, many even had the Mavericks as title favorites. However, this was heavily dependent on overall health and Irving’s availability during the season.
Kyrie Irving is integral to the team’s success this season. As one of the most reliable offensive players in the league, the 33-year-old is singlehandedly capable of changing the flow of the game. Given Dallas’ current offensive rating of 104.2, one of the lowest in the league, the Mavs need his scoring and playmaking.
Last season, the nine-time All-Star averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.1% from three-point range. Given the immense expectations of Flagg to develop on-court chemistry with Irving, the Mavs will hope that the guard returns soon to help Dallas spark a turnaround.
In the meantime, the Mavs will look to stay competitive as they head into their upcoming matchup against the Houston Rockets on Monday, Nov. 2, at 8:00 p.m. ET. But with Anthony Davis expected to remain sidelined, the outlook for the game appears bleak.
