Kyrie Irving will prove why the Mavericks made the right decision to shut him down

The Dallas Mavericks' 2026-27 season is almost upon us, with training camp quickly approaching. After an offseason full of new additions, Mavericks fans have plenty to be excited for. And the most important addition is actually the return of All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. Irving is finally fully healthy, and this year, he's about to prove why the Mavericks made the right decision last season to shut him down and make sure he got all the rehab and rest necessary.

Kyrie Irving hasn't played for a year and a half

Irving injured his knee in one of the most dreaded seasons in Dallas Mavericks history. The year that they traded Luka Doncic for an injury-prone Anthony Davis got even worse in March 2025 when Irving tore his ACL amid one of the best stretches of his career.

It's been over a year and a half now since that unfortunate injury, and by the time preseason starts, it will be a full 19 months since Kyrie last played NBA basketball. While being out that long is definitely something that can be looked at as a concern, in this case, it was an intentional and ultimately beneficial decision by Dallas.

Irving didn't need to rush back from his injury last season, especially after the Mavericks were clearly not going to be a contender. The Mavericks bought into the tank last season after trading away Anthony Davis, and their subsequent decision to shut down Irving for the rest of the season was a wise one.

Dallas would be in an awful spot if Irving got hurt toward the end of last season when they weren't playing for anything. Irving is 34 years old, and him suffering another catastrophic injury would've been a disaster. The Mavericks took the correct approach by giving him time to rehab his knee rather than prioritizing a return last season, and this decision will look even better during the 2026-27 season.

Now, reports are indicating that Irving is 100 percent healthy, and there's no reason to doubt that he will get back to his all-star-level play.

Irving won't have to carry the offense on his own again

In the 2025 season, when Irving got hurt, he was playing an unrealistic amount of minutes and had to carry a huge load on offense after Anthony Davis injured his groin. This won't be the case this upcoming season, as Mavs fans will finally be able to see the long-awaited debut of Cooper Flagg and Irving as teammates.

Not only will Flagg be able to shoulder a big portion of the offensive load, but Irving will actually complement his game in the best way. Coop has been compared to LeBron James, and rightfully so. Their games and play styles have many similarities. And Irving had arguably his best years in the NBA playing next to LeBron. Now, he gets a similar type of player to play alongside, and that will only help the new face of the franchise reach his full potential.

Irving's leadership this upcoming season for not only Flagg, but the rest of the Mavericks' young core, will be one of the most important things he will be tasked with. And after he proved his leadership in the 2024 season, in which the Mavericks made it to the NBA Finals, he is set to be the unquestioned leader of this team again.

While Irving has been in some trade rumors this offseason, it seems like the Mavericks are keen on keeping him around for now. This will prove to be the right move, as Kyrie, fresh off a full season of rest, is ready to prove why he's still one of the best guards in the NBA.

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