Kyrie Irving Returns to Dallas Mavericks After ACL Recovery

Veteran point guard Kyrie Irving is slated to make his first regular-season appearance since tearing his left ACL on March 3, 2025. The Mavericks will open the campaign against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center, with Irving describing the matchup as “a good rivalry game” and “a good test” for his body and the team.

Kyrie Irving Calls Mavs Opener ‘A Good Test’ After ACL Return NewsweekHeavyKyrie Irving Shares Takeaways From Mavericks’ Preseason HeavyKyrie Irving Discusses NBA Future, Why He Won’t Play Into His 40s The Sporting NewsKyrie Irving Reacts To Dwight Powell’s ‘Heartbreaking’ Exit

Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season while rehabbing the injury. The Mavericks overhauled staff and roster: Dusty May was hired as head coach, Masai Ujiri took over basketball operations, and the club added rookies Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio de Larrea and forward Santi Aldama while waiving veteran Klay Thompson and center Dwight Powell.

Kyrie Irving Reacts To Dwight Powell’s ‘Heartbreaking’ Exit

• 2024-25 performance (pre-injury): 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists per game over 50 contests.

Heavy

• Preseason output: 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting against Houston and 18 points with five three-pointers against Atlanta.

Heavy

• Mavericks 2025-26 averages: 114.1 points per game, 52.8 in the paint, 15.9 off turnovers, 17.8 on fast breaks.

NBC 5 - Dallas - Fort Worth - KXAS

• Rockets 2025-26 averages: 115.2 points per game while allowing 110.0 points.

NBC 5 - Dallas - Fort Worth - KXAS

Masai Ujiri praised longtime center Dwight Powell, calling him “the consummate professional” whose impact extends beyond the court. The organization released an emotional video featuring family messages and unseen rehab footage to mark Irving’s return.

Newsweek

• “I'm really excited, looking forward to the opportunity to be in Houston, hear my name called out,” — Kyrie Irving

Newsweek

• “We still have a lot to get better at, especially our rotations, our communication out there, a few breakdowns that we can definitely clean up,” — Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Shares Takeaways From Mavericks’ Preseason

• “I still believe that Kyrie Irving is someone that we’re going to be talking about through the February 11th trade deadline as a trade target for rival teams,” — Jake Fischer

Heavy

Irving’s return restores a high-level offensive creator to a Mavericks roster that struggled defensively in the preseason, shooting only 13-of-33 from three-point range as a unit. The team hopes the partnership between Irving and reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg can generate consistent scoring while the supporting cast improves spacing and defense. Successful integration could elevate Dallas from a sub-.500 team in 2025-26 to a playoff contender.

Heavy

This claim reflects market speculation rather than an official team decision.

NBC 5 - Dallas - Fort Worth - KXAS

Following the Rockets opener, the Mavericks face a back-to-back series against the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, then travel to Miami before hosting Oklahoma City. The team will also debut its newly renovated practice facility and continue exploring options for a future arena site near the former Valley View Mall.

NBC 5 - Dallas - Fort Worth - KXAS

The season’s early tests will reveal whether Irving can sustain his pre-injury performance level and whether the Mavericks can build a cohesive unit around their two primary creators.

Heavy