Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the first quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 3rd. He underwent successful surgery on March 26th.
Estimates for Irving’s return have ranged from December via Shams Charania to sometime after the NBA’s 2026 All Star break in late February or early March. The general estimate for most returns from ACL tears is around a year from the initial injury, hence the March estimation.
However, Irving himself had yet to voice any guess as to his return date, until a recent live stream where he answered questions. When asked if he’ll be back playing basketball by the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Irving answered directly saying:
“Don’t hold your breath on that… it doesn’t mean that I won’t be back, it’s that I don’t want to make any predictions on when I’m going to be back. I just want to be back 150,000% better. So I’m taking my time right now to really get healthy. I’m taking my time to really get my body right, get other portions of my body right, and really just enjoy the is recovery process. It’s not pretty. Yes, it’s a beautiful struggle but I go through the mental roller coaster ride every day, just wanting to be back out there.”
Kyrie Irving if he’ll be back for playoffs:
“Don’t hold your breath on that… I just want to be back 150,000% better. I’m taking my time right now to really get healthy… I just want to be back out there.”
(Via Kyrie’s stream) #NBA pic.twitter.com/tVZDLAiWpY
— Swish Access (@SwishAccess) July 6, 2025
Personally, I think this expectations reset is good for everyone, meaning Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks, and the fans. Dallas has built a specific team that needs Irving in order to maximize chances at their particular post season goals but that need of Irving was never fair to him following this injury.
Given the average return from injury is anywhere from 9 to 15 months and that Irving is 33 years old, expectations should be tamped down for the 2025-26 season. And these dates don’t factor in how long it will take him to feel truly comfortable on the court, which for many athletes takes as much as another full year following a return to action.
The Mavericks should proceed all season like he won’t be available and if he does return, he’s a bonus instead of a requirement. The future can be bright for the Dallas Mavericks, they simply need to be patient and consider resetting their own internal expectations as Irving works his way back from injury.