Kyrie Irving isn’t rushing his comeback, and he’s not making any promises either.
The Dallas Mavericks guard spoke openly about his recovery from a torn ACL, revealing he’s unsure if he’ll be back in time for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
“Don’t hold your breath on that, you know what I’m saying?” Irving said during a livestream when asked about a possible playoff return. “It doesn’t mean I won’t be back. It’s just, 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. I’m taking my time right now to really get healthy, I’m taking my time to really get my body right, other parts of my body right and really just enjoy this recovery process, man. It’s not pretty. Yes, it is a beautiful struggle, but I go through the mental rollercoaster ride every day. Just want 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
The Mavericks added D’Angelo Russell in free agency to help fill the gap while Irving rehabs.
They also selected Cooper Flagg as the No.1 overall pick in the NBA Draft to strengthen a frontcourt already featuring Anthony Davis.
This isn’t Irving’s first major injury setback. He fractured his kneecap during the 2015 NBA Finals with Cleveland and didn’t return until December of the following season.
Now 33 years old, Irving remains a key part of Dallas’ hopes for a deep playoff run. But his focus is squarely on his health.
The Mavericks are expected to contend in the West if Irving can rejoin their loaded roster late in the season.
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