Mavericks May Press Pause On Kyrie Irving Return

Merlin sees the Mavericks leaning toward caution with Kyrie Irving after the point guard tore an ACL in March 2025. "He has yet to be cleared to practice," reports Tim MacMahon, and coach Jason Kidd said there is "no timeline for Irving's return." Irving insists "I'm right on schedule, guys," but Dallas' 12th place standing and a long climb back to the 8 seed make a midseason comeback uncertain. Merlin notes the math. At 18-26 and 6.5 games back, the club can afford patience while managing other injuries and watching rookie Cooper Flagg develop. Dallas is on a three-game streak and showing strong January defense, so a strategic holdback could protect Irving and the roster for a fresher push next year.