The Dallas Mavericks were supposed to get even with the Boston Celtics in the 2025 Finals. However, the momentum they built last season was instantly dashed when Nico Harrison and the front office gave Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
The move that the Mavs would have to miss out of meaningful postseason basketball once Nico Harrison finalized the deal. While Davis is an incredible big man, the team doesn’t have the right talent to help maximize the talent of their new stars.
Not only did the Mavs crash out of the play-in tournament against an equally struggling Grizzlies team, but the fact that they didn’t make the game close without Kyrie Irving shows how top-heavy the roster has always been.
To make things worse for Mavs fans, recent news of the veteran guard’s status after his surgery doesn’t paint an encouraging picture.
Report: Kyrie Irving wouldn’t return to the Dallas Mavericks until January 2026
The 32-year-old guard went under the knife for his torn ACL days after his premature exit to the Mavericks’ 2024-25 campaign was confirmed.
While there were hopes that the one-time NBA champion wouldn’t be sidelined for a long time, the news the Mavericks organization got was a heartbreaker.
Per Michael Harris of Mavs Moneyball:
During the episode of NBA Countdown prior to the Mavs/Kings game Wednesday, Shams Charania dropped the extremely optimistic update on Irving. “There’s optimism that he [Irving] will be back by January,” stated Shams.
ACL injuries such as the one Irving suffered on March 3 are typically expected to carry a six-to-12 month recovery time, often trending toward the long side of that range. If in fact Irving returns nearer to the start of January 2026, that will put his recovery time at nine months.
Irving’s age may have factored into the Mavericks’ hesitance to put a shorter timeline than this. However, ACL tears are serious issues that usually end a player’s career.
Thankfully, Uncle Drew doesn’t rely on explosive athleticism to get his way around the rim. This season, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while playing his signature shifty game. While his shiftiness will take a hit in his recovery, there’s no reason not to believe he can make a successful comeback.
Whether he can still be a reliable cornerstone in an unlikely Dallas Mavericks run to the title remains to be seen.
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