Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in March of 2025 and has not suited up for the Mavericks this season as he continues to recover. Based on standard recovery timelines for the injury it seemed possible Irving could return sometime this season to take the court alongside Cooper Flagg. Coach Jason Kidd even expressed hope Irving could be back by the end of 2025, which obviously did not come to fruition. On Wednesday, Dallas made an official decision on Irving’s return.
The team announced the All-Star guard will not be playing in 2025–26. Instead he’ll remain focused on his recovery and will stay “actively engaged” with the Mavs through the end of the year. The announcement additionally notes Irving’s made “steady progress” in his rehab process.
