Overview
- Irving announced on Friday that his repaired left knee carries "no restrictions," allowing him to join Mavericks training camp after a 19-month recovery from a March 3, 2025 ACL tear.
- He said the rehab was non-linear with multiple setbacks and described the time away as a period of reflection that changed his approach to leadership and his body.
- The Mavericks and Irving plan daily medical checks and managed minutes, with particular attention to back-to-back games rather than assuming full, unrestricted play each night.
- Irving spent 2025–26 in a player-coach and mentorship role helping rookie Cooper Flagg and is set to resume an on-court leadership role beside Dallas’s young core.
- Dallas has overhauled its front office and coaching staff this offseason and will monitor Irving’s early-season availability and performance to assess roster plans and reported midseason trade options, a calculation complicated by his $39.5 million salary and 2027–28 player option.