Kyrie Irving Injury Update Hints at Return Sooner Than Expected

Posted on by Duncan McColl
Irving (4)

The Dallas Mavericks are beginning a new era without Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving’s health will be at the center of how far they can go.

Five months removed from ACL surgery, Irving gave fans reason for optimism with an encouraging progress update.

“I was in the gym doing a little bit more as well. I was in the gym, doing a little bit more,” Irving said on Twitch. “I wanna tell you exactly what I was doing because it’s all about incremental growth, but I can share with ya’ll some good days it was some good days in the gym. I’m healing up great. This date today, on the 26th; this will be five months post-surgery.”

Irving’s comments come as the Mavericks prepare for a season filled with change. Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, the number one overall pick in this year’s draft, will make his highly anticipated debut. The team also brought in D’Angelo Russell to hold down the starting point guard spot until Irving is cleared.

Dallas doubled down on its core in the offseason, signing Irving to a three-year, $119 million extension while also locking up center Daniel Gafford on a three-year, $54 million deal.

The Mavericks’ ceiling, however, will ultimately depend on Irving and Anthony Davis staying healthy.

“If Anthony Davis, if Kyrie Irving is healthy and [AD] brings his A game, the Dallas Mavericks will win the NBA championship,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on First Take recently. “That’s a big if. It’s fluid; it can change. But it’s legit, and everybody knows it. Because the one thing we’re not going to say about AD is that the brother can’t play.”

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With defending champion Oklahoma City, the Denver Nuggets, and a reloaded Houston Rockets squad in the mix, the Mavericks will have plenty of competition in the West.

READ MORE: ESPN Insiders Place Luka Doncic Second in Early MVP Forecast

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