RADIO
Kyrie Irving Reports He's Nearing Full Strength in ACL Recovery
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (knee) said on a Friday Twitch stream that he's "close to being over at 100%" in his recovery, more than 14 months removed from surgery. The nine-time All-Star tore his left ACL in March 2025 and missed all of 2025-26, but general manager Mike Schmitz and president Masai Ujiri have backed his return rather than entertaining trade talk. No timetable is set, and Dallas doesn't open camp until late September, leaving runway for a full ramp-up. Before the injury, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 games. Age 34 and coming off a torn ACL, he profiles as a draft-day discount rather than a top-tier guard, though Ujiri's plan to let him play off the ball next to Cooper Flagg protects both his efficiency and Flagg's on-ball value.
Source: Grant Afseth
Source: Grant Afseth
