Just when Mavericks fans let themselves imagine a Christmas miracle, Kyrie Irving pulled the pin on the rumor mill. After several clips of Irving shooting 3s and various updates from team officials, speculation had swelled that the All-Star guard might target a return on 25th Dec against the Warriors.  Instead, he took to his Twitch stream to update his fans, and the news is not good.

 Irving put an end to all the growing speculation by making it clear there’s no set date for his return. “There’s no timetable of when I’m coming back, so please don’t ask me when I’m coming back. Please don’t badger me … I’m going to be ready when I’m ready.”He urged.

He has asked people to stop badgering him with questions like, “If you’re healthy by November, what then?” November is when the post-Luka Mavs face their biggest challenge. On 29th November, Luka will face the team he dearly loved, so fans were hoping they would get to see Kyrie back on the court. But he is clear. As he says, “I’m going to be ready when I’m ready, and I’m taking the necessary steps to put my best foot forward, and I’m enjoying it.”

Irving tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025, in a game against the Sacramento Kings and underwent successful reconstructive surgery later that month at the Hospital for Special Surgery. By refusing to set a return date, Irving is managing expectations and protecting himself from pressure. Yet he was quick to acknowledge the support that he has around him. “This is not possible without the tribe that I’ve grown up around,” he openly recognizes that his journey, both personally and professionally, is not a solo effort. He continues: “I’m always going to make sure I pay my respect and show love to, you know, tribe that’s grown with me since I was a kid.”

Finally, Irving adds, “Because I love basketball. You know, I really do. I love basketball with all of my heart. Because it saved me from a lot of things that I probably could have gotten.” Leaning back on the sport that made him, he shows gratefulness while staying firm on his personal trajectory.

Irving’s comeback matters greatly for Dallas. Before his ACL tear, he was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, and shooting 47.3% overall and 40.1% from three. He was a central creator and scoring option. Medical studies of NBA players recovering from ACL reconstruction put the typical return-to-play window at a year.

Jason Kidd emphasizes patience as Mavericks await Irving’s return

At the media day, Jason Kidd took part in answering questions on Irving’s return, showcasing the team’s support in his absence. But he also dismissed the news that Irving was “ahead of schedule,” but he did say that Irving is “doing quite well.” The focus now is completely on the remaining roster. The Mavericks are leaning on D’Angelo Russell to stabilize the backcourt. Anthony Davis, returning from offseason eye surgery, is expected to carry a significant load on both ends of the floor.

ESPN’s annual NBA Rank placed rookie Cooper Flagg at No. 52 in its first top-100 list, and league insiders surveyed by ESPN flagged him as a player likely to take a big leap next season. The Mavericks are explicit, Kidd says he’ll “put the ball in Cooper Flagg’s hands often,  but projecting a rookie to replace elite veteran playmaking is a stretch: Flagg can be a difference-maker, but the team’s ceiling without Irving (and without a fully healthy Anthony Davis) is necessarily lower.

For now, the Mavericks will move forward with what they have, while Irving focuses on what he needs. His timetable may be uncertain, but the stakes for Dallas are not: their ceiling rises and falls with his eventual return. Until then, patience isn’t just the mantra; it’s the only option.