Star point guard Kyrie Irving was shrouded in controversy when the Dallas Mavericks acquired him in 2023. The franchise knew that it would be their priority to get him along with Luka Doncic. It took the two to spend a lot of time together during the offseason to get to that point. And when it clicked, Dallas enjoyed the fruit of it by heading straight to the NBA finals.
However, things have drastically changed since February 2, when Doncic was traded to the Lakers. Fans are also worried about Irving’s future in the franchise, but it looks like we have some clarity on that.
During Monday’s season-ending press conference, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison reiterated his desire to retain injured Irving long-term. The session confirmed the polarizing front office executive’s plan to go all-in on Dallas’ aging core.
Nico Harrison Is Confident Kyrie Irving Will Stay in Dallas
Dončić was traded to the Lakers in a package centered around superstar big man Anthony Davis. The heavily scrutinized move was projected to give the Mavericks an elite inside-out duo, with Harrison citing his desire to build a defensive-minded team.
However, Irving and Davis appeared in just one contest together, as the latter suffered a left adductor strain in his Dallas debut on Feb. 8. The injury sidelined the 10-time All-Star for 18 games. During that span, Irving sustained a season-ending ACL injury on March 3, further fueling Mavericks fans’ discontent with Harrison. Alongside, Dallas also slid to 11th place with the risk of missing the playoffs.
Irving has a player option for next season worth $43.96 million, which he can opt out of to become a free agent this summer. Nevertheless, Harrison is confident the 2016 NBA champion will remain with the Mavericks for the foreseeable future. “We fully expect to have Kyrie back with us next year,” Harrison said. “Kyrie is a big part of what our future is, and that’s not going to change whether he opts in or opts out.”
Irving is already 33, with an extensive injury history. Meanwhile, smaller guards typically tend not to age well. Additionally, Davis is 32, with well-documented injury risks of his own, seemingly giving Dallas a limited window to contend.
Kyrie Irving Could Return by the New Year
As for Irving’s return timeline, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week that the nine-time All-Star could be back by the start of January. Such a scenario would sideline him for the 2025-26 campaign’s first 30 to 35 games, likely adding pressure on Davis to keep the team afloat early on.
The Mavericks went 9-17 following Irving’s injury, finishing 10th in the Western Conference (39-43) and falling to the Memphis Grizzlies in their second play-in outing. So, they will likely need to bolster their guard depth this offseason to withstand his rehab stint.
READ: Kyrie Irving Injury Update: Mavs Star Crosses Major Hurdle After Season-Ending Injury
Even so, Harrison is confident Dallas will be right back in the mix, contending for the 2026 NBA title. “I think I’ve done a really good job here. We’ve had a lot of injuries,” Harrison said. “… You’ll see next year, we’ll be competing for a championship.”