Mavs Eye January Return for Kyrie Irving, New Contract Plans Revealed

The typical recovery timeline following ACL reconstruction ranges from six to twelve months. Should the current projection hold, Irving would be back on the floor approximately 10 months after the procedure.

“There’s optimism that he will be back by January,” Charania said Wednesday. “The expectation is that he will play a good chunk of next season.”

Irving, 33, averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this season while shooting 41.1% from three and 90.5% from the free-throw line. He was the only player in the NBA to average at least 20 points on 40% shooting from deep and 90% at the line. It marked the fifth time in his career he achieved that statistical threshold, second-most all-time behind Stephen Curry.

Dallas Mavericks Planning Contract Extension for Kyrie Irving

The Mavericks are reportedly looking to move quickly on keeping Irving beyond next season. He holds a $43 million player option for the 2025–26 season—the final year of a three-year, $126 million deal signed in 2023—but team sources indicate a desire to “rip up” the option and sign him to a new three-year contract that would align his timeline with both general manager Nico Harrison and center Anthony Davis, each of whom has three years remaining on their current deals.

“The goal for the Mavericks has been to rip up [Irving’s] player option and give him a three-year deal to align him with Nico Harrison’s three [remaining] years and Anthony Davis’ three years,” Charania said.

Before his injury, Irving had taken on an increased burden following the trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. From Feb. 4 to March 2, he led the NBA in minutes played per game (39.3) and was instrumental in keeping Dallas afloat amid mounting injuries.

His ACL tear, however, threw the Mavericks into further uncertainty, particularly as the team continues to face criticism for its blockbuster trade that sent Dončić to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. Harrison has publicly defended the trade on multiple occasions, most recently in a closed-door media session earlier this week, where he stated he had “no regrets” about the move.

The timing of the Irving report—just one day after that press availability—has sparked speculation that Dallas may be attempting to shift the narrative amid intense scrutiny of the organization’s decision-making.

For now, the Mavericks’ front office appears to be betting heavily on a core of Davis and Irving, two superstars with significant injury histories, to deliver a championship window in the coming years.

Whether that optimism is justified will hinge on Irving’s recovery and whether he can return to All-NBA form at age 34 following a major knee surgery.

As Dončić begins a playoff run with the Lakers—after dropping 45 points in his return to Dallas earlier this week—the Mavericks are left to rally behind the hope that Kyrie Irving’s comeback will be enough to turn their fortunes around.

And in a week filled with damage control, that hope may be the best thing they have.