Jason Kidd shuts down rumors on Kyrie Irving injury timeline for Mavs

Dallas Mavericks start Kyrie Irving is in the middle of recovering from ACL surgery early in the year, and the team won't look the same without him. They signed D'Angelo Russell to help hold things down and will give Cooper Flagg the ball early and often to assist, but it's hard to recreate Irving's impact, especially on a team that was already lacking for backcourt talent.

ESPN had writers propose the biggest question for each team, and Michael C. Wright asked, "When does Kyrie Irving return, and how soon can he get back to form?"

"Irving provided a glimmer of hope for Mavericks fans in September when he told TMZ his rehabilitation from a torn ACL is going 'incredibly well.' So, there's optimism for a potential Irving return as soon as January. In the meantime, Dallas needs to find a way to position itself for ideal conditions upon Irving's return," Wright wrote.

"To do that, Anthony Davis, who is back from offseason eye surgery, needs to carry the Mavericks on both ends of the court. The development of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg will be key, too, as coach Jason Kidd plans to put the ball in the rookie's hands often."

Feb 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) controls the ball against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jason Kidd Provides Injury Update on Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks are partaking in Media Day today on Monday, before heading to Vancouver for training camp. While addressing the media, Jason Kidd didn't want to say that Irving was "ahead of schedule," but he did say that Irving is "doing quite well."

Jason Kidd shared that he wants to refrain from the narrative that Kyrie Irving is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery.

He is pleased with where he at in his recovery. pic.twitter.com/8idnrQS3gj
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) September 29, 2025

DallasHoopsJournal reported that Irving was ahead of schedule last week, and general manager Nico Harrison said a similar thing during the NBA Summer League, but we've seen and heard a lot of noise about this now. Videos have surfaced of Irving working out, getting shots up, and leading youth camps, which only continues to give Mavs fans hope.

However, Kidd wants to ensure that Irving is healing in a proper manner. No timeline has been established for when they expect Irving back on the floor yet, and although Kidd said that it looks like Irving is on schedule, they haven't updated when that might be.

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