Despite the murky exit, Kyrie Irving will always remain the man who hit the biggest shot in franchise history for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The current Dallas Mavericks point guard may not get the chance of replicating anywhere near that type of success this season for their franchise.
Irving has been on the shelf since last year after tearing his ACL in a matchup against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024-25 campaign. Having that type of injury in your 30s is never an easy obstacle to navigate for an NBA player, especially one with the dazzling movement on the court that Kyrie builds his game on.
The Mavericks guard has collected a ton of fans over the years with his silky smooth skill set. Unfortunately for them and Clevelanders who still enjoy watching their former NBA champion, Irving may not suit up this season at all. That is what Tim MacMahon told the world on Howdy Partners.
MacMahon said, "Based on what I'm what I'm hearing, Kyrie's not coming back before the trade deadline. ... I don't know at this point if Kyrie's playing this season. I know he wants to. We'll see if that's in his best interest. We'll see if it's in the franchise's best interest."
Kyrie Irving injury update makes a full-season absence feel realistic
Many fans who were disappointed with the update immediately flocked to a video of Irving posted by Grant Afseth getting a workout in before the Mavericks matched up with the Utah Jazz on Thursday. The movements looked solid from Kyrie, offering hope that MacMahon was off the mark.
Kyrie Irving putting in work with assistant coach Phil Handy before the Dallas Mavericks face the Utah Jazz. pic.twitter.com/AKR9FMbbOs
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) January 8, 2026
It's never really that simple.
Firstly, it should not need to be said, but is important to state all the same: this is not the equivalent of someone being ready for a full game of NBA-level basketball. That is an obvious point, but it's also one that fans can find themselves missing when getting caught up in moments like this one.
Secondly, to the point of what MacMahon was saying, Irving returning to the court in 2025-26 would need to be in the best interests of both the future Hall of Fame point guard and the Mavericks. Dallas is within striking distance of the Play-In, so that gives some reason to have Kyrie play — if healthy.
The problem is, if Irving is not ready before the trade deadline and Anthony Davis is traded away by the Mavericks, it would signal the franchise taking a future-minded approach. At that point, the idea would be preserving Irving's health for the following season.
Cavaliers fans would love to see the man who helped bring a championship to Cleveland suit up and do what he does best. However, taking the full year off may be what is best for Kyrie to extend what has been a great career.