Mavericks face an inevitable Kyrie Irving problem they can't fix

With Dallas' two best players in Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving still out due to injury following Nico Harrison's firing, the direction that Dallas should go in regarding their stars has been a point of contention amongst fans and analysts, especially when it comes to Irving.

Recent reports indicate Irving may even be ahead of schedule in his recovery, though it's been revealed his return this season is completely up in the air, with his return to play likely hinging on what position the Mavericks will be in with their personnel and record once Irving is officially cleared to play.

At this point in the season, it's very hard to tell how those ulterior factors will play out for Dallas by the time Irving returns. Given Dallas' current state of affairs, at 4-12, it seems highly unlikely they'll be a playoff or even play-in team, but with it being so early in the season and Davis projecting to return somewhat soon, it's very hard to know where the Mavericks will be in the standings by the time Irving gets back.

Kyrie Irving's future seems impossible to predict

Despite their record, Dallas has played the most amount of clutch games in the entire league, though their schedule is only getting more difficult from here on out. Injuries have plagued the Mavericks this season, but the Mavericks have proved to build a sustainable defense recently, so there's still the potential they could rattle off some wins to dig themselves out of the bottom of the West if they get healthy enough in due time.

Of course, the Mavericks' offense has suffered tremendously without Irving in the lineup, making it hard for them to be competitive in a talented Western Conference, but everyone following the league knows how tried-and-true of a competitor Irving is, as he likely wouldn't take kindly to sitting out the rest of the season unless the Mavericks were truly at the bottom of the barrel.

There's been a portion of the fanbase and media that want Dallas to do a complete fire sale by the deadline, which would involve trading Irving and Davis. While this would etch a clear direction for the Mavericks into the Cooper Flagg era, Dallas just elected to give Irving a huge deal this summer, and there's still enough talent on this team to be competitive next season if Dallas' new front office plays their cards right before next season.

Dallas would simply be doing their due diligence by exploring Davis' trade market, especially given how underwhelming he's been in Dallas due to injury, but it's without a doubt that trading Irving would be a crushing blow to a Mavericks fanbase that just lost Luka Doncic nine months ago, even if it helps thrust the Mavericks into the Flagg era with increased draft capital.

These are questions Dallas' front office and next GM will have to answer at some point in the foreseeable future, but Mavericks fans should know Irving is attacking his recovery with vengeance, and would likely want to play for Dallas this season above all else. Irving has been a steward of the community in Dallas and a great leader for this organization, so getting him back on the court would be great for the vibes, even if Dallas' season is completely in the gutter by that point.

However, it doesn't look like there will be a clear answer on Irving's return to play until it's clear what position the Mavericks are in by the halfway mark of the season, so the Mavericks will likely be treating this situation tentatively in conjunction with Irving and his camp.