Overview
- Marc J. Spears reports Irving is progressing ahead of schedule and training with the goal of playing this season.
- The tentative timeline places a possible return in late January or around the All-Star break.
- An anonymous person close to Irving told Spears he could play now if it were the playoffs, underscoring the pace of his recovery.
- Spears says a joint decision by Irving and the Mavericks will determine whether returning then makes sense given the team's record and Anthony Davis's calf absence.
- Irving tore his left ACL in March, has not appeared this season, and signed a reported three-year, $119 million extension in the offseason.