Mavericks fans' biggest Kyrie Irving concern was wiped away by Michael Porter Jr.

Kyrie Irving hasn't played a game in 540 days, but his return to the hardwood is approaching quicker than anyone realizes. The Dallas Mavericks' first game of the 2026-27 season is on October 21, and Irving is fully healthy after tearing his ACL in March of 2025.

The Kyrie Irving concerns are real

Mavericks fans' biggest concern about the star guard has been how he'll look when he starts playing again. Returning from a major knee injury isn't easy, and it could take some time for him to get into a rhythm and return to being one of the top point guards in the Western Conference.

Will he be a step slow? Will he return to peak form?

These questions are reasonable, as Irving is a 34-year-old smaller guard who has dealt with injury issues in the past, but these fans have nothing to worry about if Michael Porter Jr.'s recent anecdote about Irving is true. Porter Jr. recently played with Irving, and he had high praise for how he looked.

Michael Porter Jr. couldn't believe how good Kyrie Irving looked

"I was hooping with him yesterday, and this is off of his ACL," Porter Jr. said in a podcast that was posted on Monday. "That dude was so cold, bro. I couldn't believe how he was moving out there."

Any concerns about Irving moving a step slow can be wiped away. Porter Jr. was in awe of the veteran guard's movement during their time playing together, and it sounds like he was dominating his competition.

Porter Jr. continued to talk about how his finishing in the paint was strong with either hand — even with 7-footers lurking. This could be an area that Irving struggles in, as some players who get injured become more timid when driving into the lane and playing aggressively, but this doesn't seem like it will be an issue for Irving.

"It was nutty," Porter Jr. said. "It was crazy."

Wherever Irving and Porter Jr. were playing together, it seemed like Irving was one of the stars of the show. Irving didn't seem to be taking it easy by any means, and Porter Jr. was amazed by how he played.

What a healthy Kyrie Irving can do for the Mavericks

If Irving can return to peak form, Dallas has a chance to surprise some people next season. NBA fans and media have been quick to count them out, but Irving looking like one of the guards in the West could change everything.

He's one of the hardest point guards in the league to stop when he's at his best, and he looked like one of the best guards in the NBA before he got hurt in 2025. Irving was playing some of the best basketball of his career before he tore his ACL on March 3, 2025, and Mavs fans can only hope that he returns to being this player next season.

All of the buzz surrounding Irving this summer has been overwhelmingly positive, and Porter Jr.'s account of how he looked on the floor adds even more hype to his return in less than two months.

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