DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving will sit out the remainder of the current season while continuing his rehabilitation from a knee injury that occurred nearly 12 months ago.
The announcement came Wednesday from Irving and the franchise, just 48 hours before Dallas returns to action following the All-Star break. The Mavericks are currently enduring their worst stretch in nearly three decades with nine consecutive losses and have been eliminated from playoff consideration.
“This decision wasn’t easy, but it’s the right one,” Irving said in a statement released by the team. “I am grateful for the Mavericks organization, my teammates and our fans for their continued support throughout the process. I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season. The belief and drive I have inside only grows.”
Irving suffered an ACL tear in his left knee on March 3rd. At age 33, this represents the first complete season the veteran has missed during his decade-and-a-half professional career.
The devastating injury occurred just one month following Dallas’s controversial decision to ship young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for veteran center Anthony Davis and additional assets. The trade came less than a year after Irving and Doncic had guided the Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance.
The Irving-Davis partnership proved short-lived, lasting only 2½ quarters of game action. Davis suffered an abdominal injury during his first game in a Dallas uniform and never returned to the court before Irving’s season-ending injury in a 122-98 home defeat to Sacramento.
Dallas struck gold in the draft lottery despite holding just a 1.8% chance, selecting former Duke star Cooper Flagg with the top overall pick. However, the trio of Irving, Davis, and Flagg never shared the court together.
Prior to the trade deadline, the Mavericks shipped Davis to Washington, effectively acknowledging the failed Doncic trade less than three months after dismissing general manager Nico Harrison partly due to that controversial deal.
Moving forward, Dallas appears committed to constructing their roster around Flagg while utilizing Irving as a veteran presence, hoping the two former Duke standouts can form a successful partnership.
“Kyrie has the ultimate respect for Cooper,” said co-interim general manager Michael Finley, who was a two-time All-Star with the Mavericks a quarter-century ago. “He loves the kid’s work ethic. He loves the kid’s love for the game. And I think Kyrie’s embracing the role as a mentor to Cooper.”
The organization confirmed Irving will stay “actively engaged” with the team throughout the season’s conclusion. Dallas faces its second consecutive playoff absence since their five-game NBA Finals defeat to Boston.
“And I wanted to send a huge shoutout to ALL of my brothers and sisters out there who’ve torn their ACL or gotten injured doing what they love to do every day,” Irving said in the team’s statement. “THANK YOU for the inspiration. No fear!”
Prior to his injury, Irving had flourished during his two seasons in Dallas following his departure from Brooklyn, where he endured more than three turbulent years. His tenure in Boston was similarly marked by controversy. Originally selected first overall by Cleveland in 2011, Irving captured an NBA championship alongside LeBron James in 2016.
Throughout his career, Irving has maintained averages of 23.7 points and 5.6 assists across 779 games while converting nearly 40% of his three-point attempts and 89% from the free-throw line.
