Jason Kidd silences Kyrie Irving rumor every Mavericks fan wishes was true

Dallas Mavericks Media Day is finally upon us, and head coach Jason Kidd wasted no time answering one of the most burning questions on fans' minds. When Kidd was asked about Kyrie Irving's progress in his recovery from a torn left ACL suffered on March 3 versus the Sacramento Kings, Kidd was quick to shut down recent reports over Irving being ahead of schedule in his recovery, as Kidd opted to say Irving was on schedule instead of ahead.

Given recent clips of Irving looking in excellent condition whilst hoisting jumpers, it makes sense why fans would be quick to think he's ahead of schedule, but recovering from an ACL tear is a very dynamic and long process, and Irving doing some stationary shooting doesn't mean he's fully healthy yet by any means, however good he looked.

Irving's return to play will undoubtedly be one of the biggest swing factors for the Mavericks this season, as how quickly he can come back and return to form will have huge implications on how much of a run this Mavericks team can make come playoff time, but Kidd isn't trying to put unnecessary pressure on Irving's return to the media clearly.

Kidd said Irving isn't ahead of schedule in his ACL recovery

If Irving was truly way ahead of schedule, Kidd would probably say as much at this presser, but given Irving is 34 years old and is a smaller guard, there's no reason to rush this rehab process anyways. The risk-reward ratio, as far as Irving's longevity is concerned, far outweighs him needing to come back as quickly as possible, as this isn't some scenario where the Mavericks are already on a deep playoff run.

Kidd had an optimistic tone in regard to Irving's recovery and was proud of the progress he's made up to this point, so while this update may come as a slight bummer to fans who thought Irving was way ahead of schedule, all signs are pointing toward Irving still making a return at some point this season. Kidd also pointed out that everyone on the roster is projected to be healthy once training camp kicks off, which is great assurance for fans considering recent updates over Anthony Davis.

Irving seconded Kidd in regard to being on schedule, but not ahead, in terms of his rehab process at his own presser as well. It's great that both Kidd and Irving are setting healthy expectations in regard to his recovery, as there's obviously a ton at stake for the Mavericks this season following the Luka Doncic trade and Cooper Flagg selection, but rushing Irving back would be a disservice to himself and Dallas, considering they inked him to a new three-year contract this summer.

While Irving is definitely closer to the end compared to the beginning of his NBA career, his game projects to continue to age well considering how well he's stood the test of time up to this point, and he needs to regain as much agility and mobility as possible for himself and the Mavericks following this recovery process, as compromising his body and career by coming back too fast would be far worse than waiting for his ACL to properly heal.