Kyrie Irving will not return for the Dallas Mavericks after sustaining a season-ending injury. Irving was traded to the Mavs from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023 and helped the team make it all the way to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Although the Mavs decided to move on from Luka Dončić midway through this season, they clearly believed in Irving and presumed that pairing him with Anthony Davis would make the Mavs championship contenders.
Mavericks fans will have to wait for the 2025-26 season to see what the combo of Irving and Davis will look like after Irving tore his ACL.
Kyrie Irving Expected To Miss at Least 6 Months Before Returning for Dallas
Throughout all the Mavericks’ drama this season, Irving was surprisingly consistent and reliable. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL during the Mavs’ game against the Sacramento Kings on March 3.
The injury occurred as Irving drove to the rim and was unable to prevent his knee from bending in an awkward direction. It was soon reported that Irving sustained an ACL injury. While they are quite common in the NBA and occur due to an unnatural amount of force being applied to the knee joint, they are significant injuries with a lengthy timeline for a return.
At this point in time, it is unclear if Irving has sustained a partial or complete ACL tear. That information will help fans understand the severity of the situation. In general, ACL injuries require surgery. The rehabilitation and recovery process following surgery is anywhere from six to nine months.
There is no way to know if and when Irving will get the surgery. It would certainly be in his best interest to finish the surgery as soon as possible. That would allow him to have a longer recovery window and potentially return for the start of the next season if he has a speedy recovery. However, the swelling needs to reduce before surgery.
Breaking: Dallas Mavericks All-Star Kyrie Irving has suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/VEgTU6iF6S
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 4, 2025
Irving’s injury is just another nail in the Mavs’ coffin. Trading away Dončić and now losing player after player to injury is undoubtedly an outcome that the team did not see coming. In any case, the hope is that Irving has a speedy recovery and can get back to his team soon.
