Kyrie Irving’s off nights hit Mavericks with a challenge they’re too familiar with

Kyrie Irving’s return from a March 2025 ACL tear is one of the Dallas Mavericks’ biggest stories for the 2026-27 season. He has become a fan favorite in Dallas over the last three years due to his incredible shooting, legendary ball-handling, and top-notch clutch gene, but his return also comes with a concern.

It has nothing to do with him, though. It has all to do with the players who are behind him.

Kyrie Irving won't be able to play every game

Irving will inevitably need to take some nights off next season, as he's returning from a serious injury that sidelined him for all of last season. This doesn't mean he's going to miss half the season, and despite him seeming more than ready to take over the league again, the Mavs will need to be cautious with his workload.

Dallas will go as far as Irving and Cooper Flagg take them, and another injury to Irving would be catastrophic.

The Mavericks have been in this spot before

The Mavericks’ guard depth behind Irving was one of their biggest weaknesses a season ago. Dallas rolled out a guard rotation of Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard, and D’Angelo Russell to begin last season while Irving watched from the sidelines.

For context of how this worked out for them, all three players are off the team.

Dallas' backup point guards will be crucial next season

Now, a season later, they’re in a similar predicament.

Irving’s presence in the lineup will obviously change things, as he is one of the best guards in the NBA when healthy, but the players behind him need to show up as well.

As things stand, Dallas' point guard rotation includes Irving, Sergio De Larrea, and Marcus Sasser. The Mavs only have three point guards on the roster, and when Irving is out, a massive weight will fall upon De Larrea and Sasser's shoulders.

While Mavericks fans are excited to see De Larrea's passing and Sasser's shooting, neither player is a proven top-notch backup point guard. Sasser averaged a career-low 12.0 minutes per game last season for the Detroit Pistons, and De Larrea is a 20-year-old rookie who has never played in an NBA game. Even though Flagg will spend time at point guard again, Dusty May will be forced to ask a lot of De Larrea and Sasser while Irving is out of the lineup.

Mavericks' guard depth will be tested

The games that Irving doesn't play will be the team's biggest challenge, as their shot creation is lacking. The Mavericks' depth is focused in the frontcourt with their play finishers on the wing and in the post, and Dallas doesn't have many players who can create their own shot at a high level on a nightly basis.

Even when Irving is healthy, Sasser and De Larrea need to exceed expectations if the Mavericks want to silence the doubters. Guard depth is extremely important, especially once the playoffs roll around, and fans better hope that De Larrea and Sasser can overcome the challenge that awaits them.

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