Why Kyrie Irving's potential return from injury this season would be bad for the Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has been sidelined to start the season as he rehabs from the torn ACL he suffered in March. The Mavericks haven't given a definitive timeline on his return, though January has been floated before as a possibility. Irving has been seen during recent Dallas practices helping rookie Cooper Flagg work on his game, and he's reportedly "ahead of schedule" in his recovery, according to ESPN's Marc Spears.

Irving is rehabbing with the intention of returning some time this season, according to Spears, who said someone close to Irving told him the veteran guard could return right now if it were the playoffs. Spears listed late January or the All-Star break in mid-February as potential return windows for Irving, whose presence would provide a boost for with a 4-11 record through the first month of the season. Irving would especially make things easier for a Mavericks roster that is severely lacking in backcourt depth. 

But given where this team is right now, would Irving's return actually be detrimental to Dallas' big picture outlook for the rest of the season?

Why the Mavericks should prioritize the 2026 NBA Draft

This isn't about taking minutes away from anyone. Let's be honest, the fewer minutes the Mavericks get from someone like D'Angelo Russell at this point, the better. The Mavericks aren't struggling to find enough minutes for everyone on this roster, instead they're starting Brandon Williams -- who,  as impressive as he's been, was just on a two-way contract a season ago. To this point, Williams has been the most reliable point guard on the team, and when Irving returns, Williams should become his backup.

The Mavericks need Irving out there, if for no other reason than to have someone who can organize the offense, not turn the ball over and draw attention from the defense to make life easier for the likes of Anthony Davis and Flagg. Beyond that, pairing Flagg with an elite guard will only make him better and ease some of the pressure that's persisted for the No. 1 pick in the first month of the season.

Tearing down the Mavericks: Finding a trade for every player who can legally move (except Cooper Flagg)

Sam Quinn

But Irving's return also means the Mavericks could contend for a play-in spot at the very least, something they really shouldn't be doing. Now that Nico Harrison has been given the boot just nine months after trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, there's no need to play out this foolish plan to compete for a playoff spot -- especially when the 2026 draft class is expected to have some of the best prospects in recent memory. 

It's a draft class that should make several teams want to bottom out with the hopes of improving their chances at landing a top pick. And the Mavericks should be one of those teams that has a one-way ticket on the tank express. But Irving's return may result in winning too many games to give them a legitimate shot at landing a top three pick. Given that the Mavericks don't control any of their own first-round picks between 2027 and 2030, prioritizing the 2026 draft should be the goal.

It's time for Mavericks to build around Cooper Flagg

It will be a difficult line for the Mavericks to tow when Irving returns. Assuming Davis also returns in the near future from a calf strain, Dallas will have a healthy roster that is capable of being far more competitive than it has been to open the season. That would have been good news a month ago when Harrison was still in charge, but he's not, and Dallas doesn't have to force this fake championship window Harrison deluded himself into. 

Now it's about building around Flagg for the long-term future, and the first step in doing so is ensuring they're able to land as high of a draft pick as possible in 2026.

There's already been talk of the Mavericks exploring the trade market for Davis, but they should also be doing the same for Irving after he returns. If he returns in mid-to-late January, and is operating at the levels he was prior to the ACL tear, it'll build up enough of a trade market to generate some interest from rival front offices before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. 

The Mavericks have to untangle the mess Harrison got them in, which means recouping assets that they've lost. The only way to do that is through trades. Between now and the trade deadline, the only player who should be off limits is Flagg. And if it means getting closer to a top draft pick next summer, the Mavericks have to consider trading Irving.